Holte End to be renamed?

[Toronto Villa]

Are Aston Villa going to rename the Holte End?
Dec 06, 2014 23:13 By Steve Wollaston
Sunday People reporter writes that the club are looking to rename the Holte End

Aston Villa are putting the naming rights for the Holte End up for grabs, Neil Moxley can exclusively reveal in our sister paper the Sunday People.

Moxley reports that the club is undertaking a major new sponsorship drive and one of the most iconic stands in English football could be given a new moniker.

Villa have recently installed a new chief executive, Tom Fox, and are recruiting a commercial director. And part of the brief was to raise funds through selling the naming rights of the stands at Villa Park.

The Holte End, which was once the largest terrace in English football holding 22,500 fans, would be the obvious starting point as it remains the favoured stand for the club’s hardcore support.

Owner Randy Lerner has a background in American sport where such deals are commonplace – although the Birmingham club has always maintained that the stadium itself will not undergo a name change.

Dave Woodhall, of the Heroes and Villains website, said: “Personally, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.

“It wouldn’t bother me if we saw a new £20million striker banging in a goal at the LG Arena End, for example.

“However, there is a section of our supporters who would be against it.”

Putting aside the obvious emotional attachment we all have to the stand and Villa Park in general, I don't see this as a major issue. As with any incoming revenue, be it a top player being sold or something like this it's more about what is done with it. If we are able to compete at the right end of the table because of commercial ventures then it's all good. If we squander the money as we have time and time again throughout our history, and in recent years especially then the renaming becomes another stick to beat the club with. Tom Fox needs to be given some rope to come up with much needed finances for the club so I'd like to see what he's got. This is his first shot across the bow and it will certainly be received with mixed opinions. It will always be The Holte End to most of us irrespective of what it might be called officially in the coming months.

[LTA]

Middlesbrough's grounds called the Cellnet Stadium, but you never hear anyone call it that.  It would always be the Holte End to me, but changing the name would bother me if it benifited our financial position.

[dave.woodhall]

Villa have recently installed a new chief executive, Tom Fox, and are recruiting a commercial director.

This is the most important part to me. Tom Fox has seen that commercial income isn't good enough and wants to do something about it.

[Chris Harte]

Any new sponsor is going to be seriously naffed off when people continue to call it the Holte End, rather than some new name.

It won't matter to the majority how much money has changed hands.

[Jimbo]

I can think of a different stand that few would object to renaming.

[Mortimer's Bear]

No thanks.

[aj2k77]

Not for me. The £ will only be used to buy a couple of crap middling players who help us finish 12/13th, so what's the point?

[Comrade Blitz]

"Sponsor our stand and you'll enjoy the ROI of having your name mentioned in the dying minutes of MOTD every week."

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Everyone will still call it the Holte End, so might as well get some cash for it.

[dave.woodhall]

Not for me. The £ will only be used to buy a couple of crap middling players who help us finish 12/13th, so what's the point?

Should we also not bother with shirt sponsorship, pitchside advertising or any other commercial deal?

[LTA]

The fact thats its the Holte End will always cause friction.  Any if the other 3 would cause such a stir.

[PeterWithesShin]

How many under 30 still call it the Witton Lane Stand? How many still call it the Witton End instead of North Stand? I always say North Stand as that's what it has been called all my Villa time as an example.

[dave.woodhall]

The fact thats its the Holte End will always cause friction.  Any if the other 3 would cause such a stir.

The story says 'stands' plural.

[aj2k77]

Not for me. The £ will only be used to buy a couple of crap middling players who help us finish 12/13th, so what's the point?

Should we also not bother with shirt sponsorship, pitchside advertising or any other commercial deal?

What difference will £10m quid or so make? Until we get rid of the Lambert Lerner partnership we wont see any success anyway because neither have the nous for it, so I'd rather not sell what remains of our soul to give him a bit extra in his budget to continue to fuck up.

With a new manager and a chairman, possibly, with these two, no thanks.

[Chris Harte]

I wonder how much such a deal would raise.

Not for me. The £ will only be used to buy a couple of crap middling players who help us finish 12/13th, so what's the point?