Sturt Raising the raffle stakes

By ZAC MILBANK |Twitter @zacmilbank

Sturt’s groundswell of financial support has extended to The Greatest Footy Club Raffle of All Time, with the Double Blues clearly leading online ticket sales.

As Sturt fans continue to purchase memberships, they have also ensured their beloved Blues have sold more than double the tickets purchased by the next best SANFL club (West Adelaide).

‘’We’re more than happy to support the SANFL’s Raffle,’’ Sturt chief executive Matt Benson said.

‘’It is a lot easier when we don’t have to source the prizes ourselves and we just have to sell the tickets. Obviously that support online is consistent with the sympathy being shown toward the club in a range of areas due to the financial challenges we face.

‘’This is a good example of some of the traditional income streams we have to focus on for the future.’’

In an amazing display of generosity, one devoted Double Blues fan purchased 50 tickets in one transaction. This is more than three SANFL clubs have sold in total.

‘’The reality is people see this as a great cause as they know money is coming back to the club,’’ Benson said.

‘’And they know there are some great prizes involved.’’

At the other end of the scale, South Adelaide has sold the fewest amount of tickets online, prompting Panthers chief executive Evan Arnold to encourage supporters to get behind the Noarlunga-based club.

‘’We’ve had a mail-out to our members and we’ve actually had good support from that,’’ Arnold explained.

‘’Whilst the online numbers may not be as strong as our physical ticket sales we’ve had a good response overall. But it can always be better so we would love all of our supporters - who are not necessarily members - who haven’t had the opportunity to purchase a ticket, to have a look at it online and buy a ticket.

‘’They can know that part of that money comes back to the footy club as an important fundraising opportunity for us.’’

While Sturt has raced out to an early lead, there is still plenty of time for supporters of other clubs to get behind their club in The Greatest Footy Club Raffle of All Time.

Less than 30 tickets separate the second-placed Bloods and seventh-placed Glenelg, leaving plenty of scope for a sudden rise up the online Lottery Ladder.
At grassroots level, Amateur League club Goodwood has skipped out to an early six-ticket lead but there are a host of other teams, including country clubs Birdwood and Southern Flinders, also in double figures. 

Half of every $10 ticket sold is injected back into the football club nominated by the ticket purchaser, providing clubs with an excellent opportunity to upgrade facilities and purchase new guernseys, footballs and medical equipment.

First prize in The Greatest Footy Raffle of All Time is a fully furnished house and land package, worth $565,000. Donated by Lifestyle SA, it is located at the popular south-coast suburb of Seaford Meadows.

Entrants can also win a Ford Territory valued at $39,990, $10,000 cash, a five-night Malaysia Airlines holiday to Phuket and a $5,000 Good Guys voucher.

Tickets can also be purchased online at sanfl.com.au/raffle with the purchaser able to nominate their favourite local, or SANFL, club as the beneficiary.

The winner will be announced at the SANFL grand final on October 6.
SANFL LOTTERY LADDER

1st Sturt - 194 tickets sold
2nd West – 74 tickets sold
3rd Eagles – 69 tickets sold
4th Norwood – 56 tickets sold
4th Port – 56 tickets sold
6th North – 53 tickets sold
7th Glenelg – 48 tickets sold
8th Central – 34 tickets sold
9th South – 27 tickets sold


DOUBLE DIGIT CLUB

Local clubs which have sold at least 10 tickets online

Goodwood Saints – 18
Adelaide Lutheran – 12
Birdwood – 10
Border Downs Tintinara – 10
Mawson Lakes – 10
Southern Flinders – 10