Port Adelaide president David Koch among the Power faithful, volunteering to throw pies at Footy Show presenter Garry Lyon in Rundle Mall. Picture: Mark Brake. Source: The Advertiser
THE Port Adelaide community is "igniting" behind the club with its best-ever start to an AFL season to be matched by record membership this week.
Amid fears supporters had disengaged from the club in recent years, chief executive Keith Thomas said membership was now poised to sur-pass its highest-ever total of 38,850 set in 1998.
Last Friday, membership went past last year's tally of 37,735 and is expected to hit the magical 40,000 by the end of the month.
"It's a really significant number; it's another milestone and a statement to the AFL and to the whole competition that Port Adelaide is back and significant," Thomas said.
"I think it's just fantastic that the Port Adelaide community is buying in to the club's resurgence and they're voting with their feet.
"That support is so important to this playing group because you can feel it, you can feel the energy."
Thomas, who has been in the role since October, 2011, said Port Adelaide supporters never lost interest during a difficult last few years, but some had become "disengaged".
"A key difference is last year they'd buy membership but wouldn't require games, this year they're buying memberships with 11-game opportunities, so they want to come and watch again and that's a very big stat," he said.
"I think the Port Adelaide community was disappointed with what they'd been seeing and hearing from Port Adelaide for many years and were sitting back with their arms folded saying `show me something'.
"Now they're seeing it and I reckon they're igniting underneath it."
Thomas said internal optimism had been building at Alberton since the new coaching and playing group attacked pre-season.
"But you can't really tell until you start playing and I reckon that's where the broader Port Adelaide community is at, they're starting to see it materialising in front of them.
"I think we are in that phase where the hope of a better season and spread of results is starting to turn into belief.
"There's a great deal of optimism around the place and they're enjoying watching Port Adelaide play again."
If Port Adelaide's "Drive to 40,000" membership campaign is achieved, one member will win a Renault car - the ticket to be drawn at the home game against Collingwood on June 29.
The next step for the club will then be to throw away the black tarps which for years have covered empty seats at AAMI Stadium.
There were no tarps for the Round 3 Showdown and only two were in place against GWS because of sponsorship commitments.
"But our intention is we won't be needing them in the future," Thomas said.
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