Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club - Unicorns

What Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club - Unicorns does

Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club (MHSOBFC), branded as the Unicorns, is a community-based amateur Australian Rules football club competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). Formally established on 24 April 1928 with origins dating to August 1907, the club fields four men's teams - Seniors, Reserves, Thirds, and U/19s/Development Squad - from its home ground at Woodfull-Miller Oval on the Melbourne High School campus in South Yarra, Victoria. It is governed by a volunteer committee under President Kane Smith-Bahn (since 2024) and operates with approximately six listed committee/operational contacts. While the name references the alumni of Melbourne High School, the club explicitly welcomes players and supporters from all backgrounds.

The club's commercial offering extends well beyond on-field competition. It runs a five-tier membership program - Centenary Social ($100), 1928 Club ($300), Unicornians ($600), Junior Unicorn ($150, under 12s), and Pet Membership ($150) - plus Platinum Player Sponsorship ($1,000), supporter merchandise (scarves, beanies, playing kit via Pacific Team Sports), and ticketed events including Presentation Nights ($160/head), gala dinners, and premiership reunions. Five Gold-tier corporate sponsors (CoLab Wines, Royal Stacks, Oscar Hunt, Union House, Claremont Financial) anchor its sponsorship revenue across wine, hospitality, professional services, and venue categories.

Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a Squarespace-hosted online store, on-ground sales at home matches, and a community-led go-to-market reliant on social media (Facebook and Instagram @mhsobfc), email newsletters, events, and word-of-mouth referrals. Operations are volunteer-led with no proprietary technology platform, no AI capabilities, and no disclosed financials; the organization is a registered non-profit community sporting club rather than a commercial enterprise. Strategic partnerships include the 2021-affiliated Tackle Your Feelings (TYF) mental health program, which provides workshops and a clinical psychologist point of contact for players.

Name

Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club - Unicorns

Legal name

Melbourne High School Old Boys' Football Club

Website

https://mhsobfc.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MHSOBFC Unicorns is a community amateur Australian Rules football club in Melbourne's VAFA competition, founded 1928, fielding four men's teams from South Yarra. It generates revenue through tiered memberships, player sponsorships, corporate sponsorships, merchandise, and ticketed events for a volunteer-led supporter base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Australian Rules Football Club

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB)

Keywords

• Amateur football club
• Community sports membership
• VAFA football program
• Football club merchandise
• Social club events

Headquarters

HQ city

South Yarra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: The club generates revenue through various membership tiers including Centenary Social Membership ($100), 1928 Club Membership ($300), Unicornians Membership ($600), Junior Unicorn Membership ($150), and Pet Membership ($150). These provide varying levels of access to club events, merchandise, and recognition.
2. Player Sponsorship: Platinum Player Sponsorship at $1,000 covers individual player registration fees and includes Unicornian Membership benefits. This creates an additional revenue stream while supporting players financially.
3. Sponsorship: Gold sponsors including CoLab Wines, Royal Stacks, Oscar Hunt, Union House, and Claremont Financial provide financial support and in-kind benefits. Sponsorship packages are available at various tiers.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sales of club merchandise including scarves ($30), beanies ($30), playing shorts ($40), playing socks ($20), and long sleeve jumpers ($80).
5. Events: Revenue from events including presentation nights, gala dinners, and reunion luncheons. Tickets for events like the 2024 Presentation Night were $160 per head.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The club operates a community Australian Rules football program fielding four Men's teams (Seniors, Reserves, Thirds, and U/19s Development Squad) in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). It sells tiered memberships, branded playing and supporter apparel, player sponsorship packages, and runs paid social events such as Presentation Nights, Gala Dinners, and Reunion Luncheons.

Product overview

Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club (Unicorns) operates as a community-based Australian Rules football club offering a unified program of competitive playing teams across four grades (Seniors, Reserves, Thirds, and U/19s Development Squad) in the VAFA. The club complements its core football program with a tiered membership structure ranging from $100-$600, branded apparel merchandise, player sponsorship packages, and organized social events including Gala Dinners and Presentation Nights. All offerings are coordinated through the club's Squarespace-hosted website and Pacific Team Sports for apparel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MHSOBFC Football Program Community Australian Rules football program offering four competitive Men's teams in the VAFA: Seniors, Reserves, Thirds, and U/19s/Development Squad, for male players of all skill levels and experience.
• Unicornians Membership Premium membership tier at $600 offering business listing on website, tickets to events including Past Players luncheon and Presentation Night, complimentary beverages, exclusive Nike Puffer Vest with 'Unicornian Member 2026' inscription, scarf or beanie choice, and sponsor product pack.
• 1928 Club Membership Mid-tier membership at $300 providing scarf or beanie choice and sponsor product pack including Union Draught slab, CoLab Wine sample, and San Junipero Spritz four-pack.
• Centenary Social Membership Entry-level membership at $100 supporting the Unicorns Future Fund for club infrastructure reinvestment, with scarf or beanie and website recognition.
• Junior Unicorn Membership Membership for children aged 12 and under at $150, including kid's size MHSOBFC Playing Jersey and lunch with drink from canteen at every home game.
• Pet Membership Unique $150 membership including custom-made dog MHSOBFC Playing Jersey, complimentary pet treats at home games, 2027 Pet Calendar featuring member's pet, and parent/guardian choice of scarf or beanie.
• Platinum Player Sponsorship $1,000 sponsorship covering player fees for a senior player, with all Unicornian Membership benefits included (a $120 saving versus separate purchase).
• MHSOBFC Playing Apparel Club-branded playing gear including Long Sleeve Jumpers ($80), Playing Shorts in Green/Home ($40) and White/Away ($40), and Playing Socks ($20).
• MHSOBFC Supporter Merchandise Supporter items including Scarf ($30) and Beanie ($30) available for fan purchase.
• Club Events Event offerings including Gala Dinners, Presentation Nights, Season Luncheons, and Premiership Reunions for members and supporters.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Tackle Your Feelings (TYF) ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Mental health awareness partnership with TYF Program. Includes interactive workshops led by TYF Program Manager Nick Walsh and Clinical Psychologist Bree Van Ryswyk from Healing Minds Psychology. Club received 15 Sherrin match footballs as affiliate partner. Bree acts as club point of contact for players seeking mental health assistance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Old Xaverians Football Club: Amateur Australian rules football club representing St Kevin's College alumni, competing in VAFA Premier Division. Highly comparable in structure, alumni-affiliation, multi-grade teams, and Melbourne inner-south operating geography.
• St Kevin's Old Boys Football Club: VAFA amateur football club representing St Kevin's College alumni with multi-grade teams. Directly comparable in alumni-affiliation, community governance, and Melbourne amateur football operations.
• Marcellin Old Collegians Football Club: Amateur football club representing Marcellin College alumni, competing in VAFA. Comparable community amateur structure, alumni-driven membership, and multi-grade team operations in Melbourne.
• Caulfield Grammarians Football Club: VAFA amateur football club representing Caulfield Grammar School alumni. Directly comparable in alumni affiliation, community-led structure, multi-grade teams, and Melbourne operating geography.
• Old Melburnians Football Club: Field hockey and football club representing Melbourne Grammar School old boys, competing in VAFA. Directly comparable amateur community football club with similar alumni-affiliation model, multi-team structure, and Melbourne inner-south catchment.
• Old Brighton Grammarians Football Club: Amateur football club affiliated with Brighton Grammar School old boys, competing in VAFA. Comparable as an alumni-affiliated, community-run amateur club fielding multiple teams with similar membership and sponsorship structures.
• Old Haileyburians Football Club: VAFA amateur Australian rules football club affiliated with Haileybury alumni. Comparable as a long-running community amateur club with multi-grade teams and Melbourne-based operation.
• University Blacks Football Club: VAFA amateur football club representing Melbourne University alumni, fielding multiple teams across grades. Comparable as a community-led amateur club with similar volunteer governance, multi-grade structure, and Melbourne-based operation.

Others

• Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA): The governing competition body that MHSOBFC competes within. Comparable as the broader organising entity for amateur Australian rules football in Victoria, providing league structure, fixtures, and awards relevant to club operations.

Broad incumbents

• AFL National Community Football Program: The peak national body governing community Australian rules football at the amateur level. Comparable as the broader institutional framework that supports, regulates, and funds community clubs like MHSOBFC through programs such as the AFL National Volunteer Award.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MHSOBFC
• Instagraminstagram.com/mhsobfc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/melbourne-high-school-old-boys-football-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club - Unicorns