COVID FAQs

Your 2022 EFC Membership and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Just as we did in 2021, we want our members to have as much confidence as possible when purchasing or renewing their EFC Membership ahead of an exciting season. Some key questions and answers are below, including a link to our 2022 Membership Terms and Conditions.

I was an EFC Member in 2021 and didn’t get to attend any games as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, what happened with my membership?

All members who renewed or joined as a member in 2021 were directed to our terms and conditions, and specifically our COVID-19 and Unforeseen Circumstances policy. This policy details what compensation, if any, you would be entitled to as a result of missed games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please refer to this policy here and should you be eligible and wish to take up compensation please advise our Member Services Team via email or phone on 03 8340 2000.

I want to buy or renew my 2022 EFC Membership, but what happens if games don’t go ahead?

They say a week is a long time in football, and this was never truer than in the 2021 season. So, while we are not certain of exactly what the 2022 Season will look like, we are hopeful of having our loyal, committed and passionate EFC Members filling the stands in a significant year for the Club. However, should there be a reduction in the number of games our members can attend, relative to their membership package, members will be eligible to claim a partial refund or credit in accordance with the COVID-19 and Unforeseen Circumstances policy outlined in our 2022 Membership Terms and Conditions and below.

I am a Reserved Seat Member, what happens if COVID-19 stops members getting to games again in Season 2022?

Just as we did in 2021, we want to make sure our members feel they get great value out of their membership and have confidence supporting the Mighty Bombers in 2022. In the event that match access and reserved seat benefits are impacted and you are not given the opportunity to secure a reserved seat for any affected matches, you will be entitled to claim a partial refund or credit in accordance with our COVID-19 policy below. Importantly, any claims under this policy will not affect the priority you have to renew your reserved seat again ahead of the 2023 Season.

I am thinking of buying a general admission membership, what will happen if some or all games don’t have general admission access because of COVID-19?

At this time, the impact (if any) that COVID-19 may have on the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season is not known. Although we are hopeful we will be playing in front of a full stadium of barracking Bombers at some point in the season, we recognise this might not be the case for all games. Rest assured however, that if the number of matches with general admission or reserved seat upgrade access is less than the number of matches included in your membership, you will be entitled to claim a partial refund or credit in accordance with our COVID-19 policy. We will also be sure to communicate with you ahead of each game, especially where access for our GA members will be possible, to give you the best chance of attending.

How will you decide who gets access to EFC games in 2021, if the crowd capacity is reduced?

Nothing is more important to us than having as many of our members cheering for the Mighty Bombers at games next season as possible. However, should we have a situation of reduced capacity, we will prioritise access for our members based on their membership package type, in accordance with the COVID-19 and Unforeseen Circumstances policy below.

COVID-19 and Unforeseen Circumstances

At this time, the impact (if any) that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season is not known. Unforeseen circumstances may also arise which impact upon the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

The impacts of COVID-19 and unforeseen circumstances (‘COVID-19 Impacts’) may result in Members having reduced or varied match access or reserved seat benefits compared to those that would apply in the absence of those impacts.

Reserved Seats

If the number or location of reserved seats available to the Club to allocate to Members is affected by COVID-19 Impacts, the Club will allocate (or provide Members with the opportunity to secure) reserved seats in accordance with the following:

• Access to a reserved seat to any match is subject to the Club having sufficient reserved seats made available by the venue and the AFL for allocation to Members.

• Where the location of reserved seats available to the Club is affected or there are fewer reserved seats for a match made available to the Club for allocation to Members than Members holding ordinary reserved seat entitlements for the match, the usual allocation of reserved seats will not apply. Where the Club has access to allocate reserved seats, Reserved seat Members will be provided access to secure a reserved seat in accordance with the applicable booking process, which will be published on the Club’s website. Access to secure a reserved seat will be subject to availability and will be prioritised according to each Member’s Membership Package as follows:

Priority 1 (highest priority) - High Mark members

Priority 2 – Silver members

Priority 3 – Bronze members

Reserved seat Members must register during the designated time period corresponding to the priority category above (as specified in the booking process for the relevant match as published on the Club’s website) in order to secure priority access in accordance with that category.

• Members who would ordinarily hold a reserved seat for the match will be entitled to a partial refund or credit (as determined below) where they do not secure a reserved seat and no reserved seats for the relevant match were made available for booking by members in the Member’s priority category or any allocation of reserved seats made available to the category has been exhausted. Members who do not secure a reserved seat through the booking process will not otherwise be entitled to a refund or credit in relation to their reserved seat entitlements for the relevant match.

• Members who secure a reserved seat will not be entitled to a refund or credit in relation to any change in the location of their seats.

Refunds and Credits

Where a Member qualifies for a partial refund or credit in relation to the unavailability of reserved seats for any matches as provided above, the amount of the refund or credit will be determined as follows:

• The Member’s Membership Fee will be divided into a component relating to match access in 2022 (Match Access Component) and a component relating to all other benefits (Other Benefits Component).
• The Other Benefits Component will be valued at $60 for an adult, concession, or youth membership and $30 for a junior membership, plus 15% of the face value of the total Membership Fee. This represents the value of benefits including: exclusive membership communications, merchandise and Club sponsor discounts, Member cards, full voting rights (18+), and priority access to retain and renew a reserved seat for the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season (subject to these terms and conditions.)
• The Match Access Component will be determined by subtracting the value of the Other Benefits Component from the total Membership Fee.
• An ‘Individual Match Value’ will be determined by dividing the Match Access Component by the number of Home and Away matches to which the Member would ordinarily have been allocated a reserved seat.
• The Individual Match Value will be multiplied by the number of matches for which the Member is entitled to a refund or credit to determine a ‘Reserved Seat Credit Provisional Value’.
• Where any membership coupons (e.g. Bomber Shop coupons) have been provided by the Club in conjunction with the Membership Package purchase, the face value of the coupon will be subtracted from the Reserved Seat Credit Provisional Value to arrive at the final value. Where no such membership coupons have been provided, the final value will be the same as the Reserved Seat Credit Provisional Value.

Reserved Seating Example

Dyson has a Bronze Reserved Seat Home Only Adult Membership, valued a $400.

His membership provides access to 11 home games.

His Other Benefits Component is valued at $120. $60 for the opportunity to retain and renew his reserved seat for the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season and $60 for his other benefits.

Dyson has his game access affected by COVID-19, with Essendon only playing 2 home games in front of crowds in Victoria, at which Dyson can attend in a reserved seat. This means Dyson’s game access is reduced by 9, to 2.

Dyson also received a $30 Bomber Shop Coupon during the renewal process.

Bronze Reserved Seat Home Only Adult Membership $400

Less Other Benefits Component ($60 + $60) $120

Value of Match Access Component $280

Individual Match Value ($25.45)

Nine games missed (9 x $25.45) $229.09

Less Bomber Shop Coupon $30

Partial credit or refund available to be claimed $199.09

General Admission

Under each general admission Membership Package, a member has included access (subject to capacity and these terms and conditions) to a prescribed number of matches (‘Included Number of Matches’). For example, the Included Number of Matches for a Flexi 8 membership is 8.

Where seating availability for any match is affected by COVID-19 Impacts and there is no opportunity for any general admission members to either upgrade to a reserved seat for the match or attend in a general admission area, the match will be treated as a ‘General Admission Unavailable Match’’. All other matches where general admission members have access (subject to capacity) will be treated as ‘General Admission Available Matches’.

Where the number of General Admission Available Matches in 2022 is less than a general admission Member’s Included Number of Matches, the Member will qualify for a partial refund or credit, which will be determined as follows:

• The Member’s Membership Fee will be divided into a component relating to match access in 2022 (Match Access Component) and a component relating to all other benefits (Other Benefits Component).
• The Other Benefits Component is valued at $60 for an adult, concession, or youth membership and $30 for a junior membership and represents benefits including: exclusive Member communications, merchandise and Club sponsor discounts, Member cards and full voting rights (18+). The Match Access Component will be determined by subtracting the value of the Other Benefits Component from the total Membership Fee.
• An ‘Individual Match Value’ will be determined by dividing the Match Access Component by the Included Number of Matches.
• A number of ‘Lost Matches’ will be determined by subtracting the number of General Admission Available Matches from the member’s Included Number of Matches.
• The Individual Match Value will be multiplied by the number of Lost Matches to determine a ‘GA Credit Provisional Value’.
• Where any membership coupons (e.g. Bomber Shop coupons) have been provided by the Club in conjunction with the Membership purchase, the face value of the coupon will be subtracted from the GA Credit Provisional Value to arrive at the final value. Where no such membership coupons have been provided, the final value will be the same as the GA Credit Provisional Value.

General Admission Example

Walla has a Flexi 8 GA Adult Membership.

Walla’s Included Number of Matches for this membership is 8, home or away.

Essendon has their season affected by COVID-19, with 13 of their 17 matches in Melbourne unable to be attended by GA Members, either in a GA capacity, or upgrading to a reserved seat. This means 13 matches are deemed General Admission Unavailable Matches, and 4 are General Admission Available Matches.

This means Walla’s number of Lost Matches is 4.

Walla also received a $30 Bomber Shop Coupon during the renewal process.

Flexi 8 Game Adult Membership $195

Less Other Benefit Component $60

Value of Match Access Component $135

Individual Match Component ($16.88)

Four games missed (4 x $16.88) $67.52

Less Bomber Shop Coupon $30

Partial credit or refund available to be claimed $37.52

Claiming a Refund or Credit for Impacted Matches

Credits or refunds under this clause 10 may only be claimed from the day that is five business days after the completion of the last match of the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Home and Away Season (Claims Opening Date) and must be claimed in accordance with the process published on the Club’s website at the on the Claims Opening Date.

If you would like to read our 2022 Terms and Conditions in full, please click here.