Collingwood are hopeful of a bigger paid-up membership this season on the back of their NAB Challenge foray into Tasmania.
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The Magpies will open the pre-season campaign against Hawthorn in Launceston – the Hawks' home away from home – on February 26.
Already boasting 80,000 members last season, the Magpies on Wednesday unveiled a "special membership package for Tasmanian supporters", dubbed the Tasmanian Magpie Insider.
Among the benefits are exclusive access to the NAB Challenge ticket pre-sale, with an expectation the clash against the Hawks at the 20,000-seat Aurora Stadium will sell out.
The pre-sale is seen as an important move, with the Magpies warning: "The AFL has advised that due to the limited capacity of Aurora Stadium, members should upgrade to a reserved seat or general admission ticket via the member pre-sale to guarantee entry on the day. Members will be allowed to scan in with their 2015 membership card (provided it has a barcode) though run the risk of not getting in due to the capacity of the stadium."
While the Hawks and North Melbourne – the latter in Hobart – have worked assiduously to build support across the Bass Strait, and have almost come to blows over the island before, neither had an issue with the Magpies' special membership package.
Hawthorn chief executive Stuart Fox said the Hawks had "no problem at all".
"Members of clubs receive free entry to the NAB Challenge games," he said. "Also, most clubs have interstate membership packages. It is common practice to market your brand nationally and where you are scheduled to play."
The membership does not include access to premiership-season matches but includes free access to VFL home matches, a scarf, member pricing on club merchandise and access to coach Nathan Buckley's weekly video message.
Importantly for the Magpies, it is a chance to add to their league-leading membership tally of last season.
"We have a sizeable number of Tasmanian supporters, many of whom are already members," a Collingwood spokesman said. "The hope is we will bring many more existing fans into the family. We have offered an insider membership before. The difference this year is that we are playing a match on their turf."
