A Reibel yell for members
ASK “home- grown” Cowboys acting chief executive Jeff Reibel about club membership and the Bowen native will tell you a tale that goes all the way back to the beginning – before ’ 95 and the never- say- die community spirit that drove North Queensland’s own NRL club into existence.
Reibel also knows more than most about the evolution of the club’s membership program, the former club commercial head one of a small touring group that set out in late 2009 to learn more about membership, where season tickets had been the only way to ‘ belong’.
This gives the new Cowboys boss a unique long- term insight into what membership means to the club and what the club means to the community, and it has him covering some big miles across North Queensland in the countdown to the new season.
“Our commitment to North Queensland goes far beyond our performance on the field – we think of the club as one of the pillars of both our community and the regional economy, and our not- for- profit business model supports this,” Reibel said.
“We’ve made a priority of hitting the road in our geographic footprint over the last month, visiting local stakeholders to talk about some of the exciting things happening at the club, including the new North Queensland Stadium, and getting a feel for what’s important to these communities.
“For us, the membership support we receive from across the region is a real passion point – it brings our members close to the club and the team they love, and enables us to continue our important work across our education and training- based community programs, championed by the Cowboys Community Foundation.”
The club contributes almost $ 95 million annually to the region’s economy, including 459 jobs, through its home games, brand, corporate activities, community programs and grassroots engagement.
In 2018, the Cowboys game development team visited more than 40 locations and reached almost 30,000 students, as well as hosting competitions and carnivals for more than 2500 participants.
The Cowboys also continue their commitment to homegrown talent through their close affiliation and support of three Queensland Cup feeder teams – Townsville Blackhawks, Northern Pride, Mackay Cutters – and an academy program focusing on high school- aged players that is spread throughout regional Queensland locations.
Reibel is committed to the responsibility of the club’s sustainability and impact, and the club membership’s role in the Cowboys legacy.
“Our players love having our members pack the stands – our home crowd can make all the difference in a tight game and being part of that atmosphere is very special. Any member who’s been to a Cowboys v Broncos derby at 1300SMILES Stadium in golden point will know exactly what I mean,” Reibel said.
“We want all of our members to know how important their contribution is and how much it is valued.”