Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Dave Javu on August 03, 2011, 11:05:16 AM

Title: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Dave Javu on August 03, 2011, 11:05:16 AM
Villa have contacted our group of season ticket holders. Apparently Sky are inspecting the area where we sit because they want to install a 3-D camera position. It could be on a game by game basis, or could be permanent - but I suspect that it'll be the latter.

I always knew we had some of the best seats in Villa Park (front of upper tier, Witton Lane, on the halfway line) but we're gutted that it appears to be the end for us. My seat is better than Randy's - if you discount the padding aspect, of course.

We've been in the upper Witton Lane continuously since it was last redeveloped (and we were in the old Witton Lane stand before that) and have had these particular seats for more than 10 years

Out of Barry, Milner, Young and Downing, I'll miss my seat more - it gave me longer service than any of those other barstewards.

Flags at half-mast, please. I don't do emoticons, but forgive me on this occasion:

 :(
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Brend'Watkins on August 03, 2011, 11:26:58 AM
Tell them you wont go without a fight, a lifetime's free subscription to Sky should do it.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: N'ZMAV on August 03, 2011, 11:31:40 AM
Tell 'em bollocks.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: DeKuip on August 03, 2011, 11:33:58 AM
I must admit, when I read an article about Avatar style viewing in the future and Peter Scudamore saying that fans in Hong Kong would be able to turn on their laptop and choose any viewing position for any game in any Premier League ground, I didn't realise it meant they'd have to kick real fans out of their seats to do it!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/8677559/Premier-League-preparing-for-new-dimension-of-Avatar-style-viewing-says-Richard-Scudamore.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/8677559/Premier-League-preparing-for-new-dimension-of-Avatar-style-viewing-says-Richard-Scudamore.html)

We really are becoming just extras on a TV set aren't we - about time they started paying us to be there.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Brend'Watkins on August 03, 2011, 11:36:24 AM
I haven't seen a game in 3D but if it's anything like films then it will deservedly have a short existence.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Somniloquism on August 03, 2011, 11:39:47 AM
So if I buy a 3 D tv and watch a home villa match on Sky, I can pretend to be What the Eck?

On a serious note, and on previous form for long term Trinity seats being yanked away, you will either have to accept what the club supply as an alternative or stop going as there is no way they will put your history or custom above the Sky Dollar.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: London Villan on August 03, 2011, 11:40:02 AM
Give them a price for the emotional value you put on your seat. The fact that you can't get another one like it anywhere in the ground etc...

Sky has done a lot of good for the game, but we as fans don't half get a kicking at times from them.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Villa'Zawg on August 03, 2011, 11:42:10 AM
I must admit, when I read an article about Avatar style viewing in the future and Peter Scudamore saying that fans in Hong Kong would be able to turn on their laptop and choose any viewing position for any game in any Premier League ground, I didn't realise it meant they'd have to kick real fans out of their seats to do it!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/8677559/Premier-League-preparing-for-new-dimension-of-Avatar-style-viewing-says-Richard-Scudamore.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/8677559/Premier-League-preparing-for-new-dimension-of-Avatar-style-viewing-says-Richard-Scudamore.html)

We really are becoming just extras on a TV set aren't we - about time they started paying us to be there.

“There’s ‘immersion technology’ being developed right now where you can sit down with headphones and a screen, and reproduce the feel of being in a stadium,” he said.

“You can call in your mates to sit next to you and chat to them. If you turn your head one way you’re looking at the left-hand goal and the other way you’re looking at the right-hand goal. That’s in testing now.

“You could be on a Saturday evening in Hong Kong, 3pm in England, deciding whether you want to be on the Kop or the Holte End at Aston Villa. You’ll be able to choose where you want to be and watch the game. “
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: TheTimVilla on August 03, 2011, 11:42:59 AM
What The Eck: what's your seat number? I'm in EE, on the halfway line, and I've heard nothing...?
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Villa'Zawg on August 03, 2011, 11:43:46 AM
Did the club ever compensate the Trinity stalwarts when they took their seats?
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Villa'Zawg on August 03, 2011, 11:47:10 AM
What The Eck: what's your seat number? I'm in EE, on the halfway line, and I've heard nothing...?

Not what you'd call unobtrusive is it?

(http://static.trustedreviews.com/befa02|31ac_12823-skycamera2.jpg)
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: CJ on August 03, 2011, 12:00:09 PM
Blimey - from that pic it looks like they'll have to sell the seats in the first 10 rows as restricted view
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: VillaZogmariner on August 03, 2011, 12:00:19 PM
I assume you have already purchased your season ticket. If so surely there is something in the small print saying that you are buying that exact seat for all the league games.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: CJ on August 03, 2011, 12:09:45 PM
Unfortunately more likely the small print will say the club reserve the right to retain the ticket
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Dave Javu on August 03, 2011, 12:10:30 PM
I'm not going to kick up a stink for the sake of it. I know the club will try and sweeten the deal and try and give us quality alternatives. I'm a little bit sad about it but we're going to wait and see what happens.

On the other hand, a lifetime Sky sub AND an absurdly large 3D telly wouldn't go amiss...
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Mazrim on August 03, 2011, 12:18:15 PM
Paint one of you battycheeks red and the other green, then hand out some shit 80s 3D glasses (free with the News of the World) to Sky, then show them your arse. Add profanity to taste.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Woofles The Wonder Dog on August 03, 2011, 12:21:40 PM
On the other hand, a lifetime Sky sub AND an absurdly large 3D telly wouldn't go amiss...

Make sure it's passive, and save on headache tablets ;-)
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: villajk on August 03, 2011, 12:28:14 PM
Did the club ever compensate the Trinity stalwarts when they took their seats?

I think we got £50 of the next season's season ticket price. 

Small compensation for losing the seat and being moved from the people you have sat with for many years.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Percy McCarthy on August 03, 2011, 12:45:12 PM
Me and a bird went to Wembley to see the Style Council once, and found a camera in our seats. We ended up getting worse seats, but on the plus side we are on the dvd of the concert.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on August 03, 2011, 01:13:56 PM
These guys invented a really good method for watching football in 3D years ago !

(http://www.tmwmtt.com/blog-extreme-groundhopping/2007-04-27Turnstile.jpg)
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Mazrim on August 03, 2011, 01:58:02 PM
What use to greg are "turnstiles"?  :)
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: TheSandman on August 03, 2011, 01:59:45 PM
Yet another sad reminder that fans are the lowest priority in the modern game.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Villa'Zawg on August 03, 2011, 02:16:16 PM
I wonder if people complained about money killing the game when turnstiles were introduced?
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Brend'Watkins on August 03, 2011, 02:23:06 PM
I wonder if people complained about money killing the game when turnstiles were introduced?

I'm sure club directors complained when kids would sneak in underneath without paying.  Something I wish I'd done back in the day.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Olneythelonely on August 03, 2011, 02:26:48 PM
A friend's mother has been going 60 years and has been told she has to give her seat up. Disgraceful.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: pooligan on August 03, 2011, 03:18:00 PM
I was promised a 50 quid reduction off the following season's season ticket for giving up my seat in the Trinity road,but it never happened.Gave up asking at the ticket office why i had never received it
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Concrete John on August 03, 2011, 03:20:08 PM
I was promised a 50 quid reduction off the following season's season ticket for giving up my seat in the Trinity road,but it never happened.Gave up asking at the ticket office why i had never received it

Sounds like something you should ask the General about? 

Oh.......
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: JJ-AV on August 03, 2011, 03:21:07 PM
Not ideal, but play it right and you'll get a shedload out of it. Free season ticket or free Sky perhaps?
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Dave Javu on August 03, 2011, 03:53:48 PM
A friend's mother has been going 60 years and has been told she has to give her seat up. Disgraceful.

I think I sit next but one to your friend's mom. My Dad is also affected. He's been going since the mid 1940's too.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: The Laughing Policeman on August 03, 2011, 04:06:45 PM
Not sure about the exact figures about the amount of revenue clubs get from bums on seats, but  it's minuscule compared to the Sky money they receive for flogging off a load of seats to Sky for their 3D gizmos. To be honest I really believe that club owners and chairmen couldn't give a toss about attendance numbers just as long as the Sky viewing numbers are high.
I'm a pensioner and I can't afford a season ticket but I get to as many home games as possible, but when I can't get to a game and it's live on Sky I'll watch it in my local which will invariably be full of "Villa Fans" I know who have very good and well paid jobs and never go to Villa Park to watch a match. In fact the only contribution they make to AVFC is to buy the latest shirt as some sort of "badge of loyalty".
I can see the time coming when football as we know it will be played in empty stadiums for the benefit of Sky "fans".Remember the late 70's and 80's when attendances were so low that some clubs resorted to playing recorded crowd noise to try and emulate a full ground? Welcome to back to the future.
Title: Re: March of progress: Sky to steal my seat
Post by: Somniloquism on August 03, 2011, 07:00:19 PM
Not ideal, but play it right and you'll get a shedload out of it. Free season ticket or free Sky perhaps?

Well as proved by previous posters, he will be lucky to get a £50 discount on next seasons ST even if it was promised to him originally, and that was when we actually had money to placate fans and a club who wanted to be seen to doing the right thing. Unfortunately the club owns the seat and can do with it as they will and will move the fans affected and maybe offer a voucher for the club shop. Who knows, with the money this will bring in, we might be able to pay off McCleish and his teams compo claims if the gamble doesn't come off?
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