GEELONG CEO Brian Cook says the Cats can't match it financially with the biggest clubs and need a significant increase in revenue if they are to continue to compete at the higher reaches of the ladder.
Geelong has finished in the top four in every season bar one since 2007, but Cook says the challenges facing clubs earning its level of revenue remain huge.
"There is no doubt the agenda is set by those clubs with $80 million revenue," Cook told AFL.com.au.
"We all try to keep up and we know that we can't. We can't match them.
"We need to get to $60 million [revenue] to compare, because there is certainly a correlation between those who spend more and success."
Geelong recorded its first loss for 15 years last season after earning $51 million revenue, but it has a solid foundation for growth after investing $13 million in stadium redevelopment.
Cook said the club had been quietly making the necessary changes to manage costs and improve revenue.
The Cats aim to attract from 46-48,000 members in 2015 and will continue to encourage reserved seat holders who are not attending a Simonds Stadium game to notify the club so tickets can be resold.
The Cats have a no-show rate of about 20 per cent at games at Simonds Stadium, but could benefit with game-day sales of food and merchandise if those who don't attend pass on their tickets.
"The challenge for us is changing attitudes where people understand if they put their ticket back in it's good for us," Cook said.
Geelong will play eight home games in 2015, with the extra home game essential to enable the club to pay $300,000 into the AFL's equalisation fund.
The club accepted the AFL decision that the Cats needed to contribute to equalisation, but questioned its size and the logic behind it, given that the most powerful clubs had their contribution capped at $500,000.
"I don't think any club has received a piece of paper which identifies exactly how your dollars were worked out," Cook said.
The club's administration has undergone significant changes in the past 12 months and the Cats recently appointed Collingwood administrator Justin Reeves as its commercial manager.
"He [Reeves] has been part of a growth agenda for so long," Cook said.
"We need that."
Cook said the club expected to host nine home games a season at Simonds Stadium when the ground's capacity hits 40,000, plans for which were recently presented to the board.
Geelong will hold its season launch at Simonds Stadium on March 27.
The day will be open to members and the public, and cater for families, as the club continues to entrench its presence in the local community.
"We need to improve our fan engagement," Cook conceded.
"We put our hand up."
