Villa Park Redevelopment

[Villan82]

Anfield holds >60,000 now.

As long as we have Emery and NWSE, Everton and fucking Leeds, won't be in the same orbit. Worry about them? Crikey. We're winning the league now Rodri is out.

I'm quite certain Everton fans thought that of us 6 years ago when we were pissing about in the Championship. If we are still having the same circular debate in 5 years time about renovating part of a stand to replace a few hundred STs with a new GA+ offering and they are raking it in with year on year in their 50k ground...and they are starting from the premier league unlike us.

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Because there's so many examples of clubs doing what we've done over the years. If you're quaking at Everton, you night as well shit your pants at Small Heath.

[SaddVillan]

I think the assumption about the profile of supporter who is GA+ is way off the mark. We don't have Tarquins. I know of one GA+ season ticket holder on here that is as proper Villa as it gets. The issue for Heck is that there's enough for the mid-range Terrace View and Cells to be popular, but we lack Tarquins (and hopefully always will) to make the lesser corporate or expensive GA+, attractive.

Point well made Ads, I was referring more to the top of the range GA+ tickers. Many genuine fans will stretch to the lower end offers, but like you, I'm not sure if we have enough Tarquins to fill all the top-end seats that Heck's trying to sell.

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I've noticed a few tourists mind. Some Spanish speakers walking up before the Everton game and looking at the ground map. Anecdotal obviously, but nearer Christmas when tourism goes up again, we may find more buyers for that "Premier League Experience".

[SaddVillan]

If we decide to move, then getting hold of a decent site will be the kicker.

Given Birmingham Council's financial problems and their fire sale of assets, I wonder if they've got a sufficiently large plot of land nearby that we could buy with a cheeky lowball offer?

[VillaTim]

These new red neon advertising hoardings are terrible. Really off putting whilst watching .

[Dogtanian]

I've noticed a few tourists mind. Some Spanish speakers walking up before the Everton game and looking at the ground map. Anecdotal obviously, but nearer Christmas when tourism goes up again, we may find more buyers for that "Premier League Experience".

I welcome anyone from overseas who wants to see a Premier League game and decides to come and see the mighty Villa and fall in love forever.

I'm a bit embarrassed that they'll be up to their ankles in piss, though.

[eamonn]

How would you feel about daytrippers, plastics, corinthian casuals and the like?

[andyh]

With Everton's new stadium, Leeds planning on an upgrade to 53K, it feels like we are going to slipping even further behind   

[Dogtanian]

A Sunday driver, yeah?

Do I think a lifelong Villa fan should be priced out of a seat to make way for anyone else? No way.

But, anyone who genuinely loves the club and wants to support it is welcome. I don't know how you'd go about deciding who has a right to support a team or not. Would I count? The only member of my family not born in Birmingham as I was born on the living room floor in Tamworth?

[LeeS]

Without being all solipsistic about it, I am exactly the kind of punter Heck should be targeting. I am a lapsed ST holder since moving to Kent but I now have 2 young boys who would love to come to VP on occasion. We would make the special trip 2 or 3 times per season and I’d pay a premium.

But GA+ is completely useless to me. I obviously wouldn’t drink beer so that is a waste and my kids aren’t going to make a dent in the buffet. Plus, I’d rather sit on the half way line than the Holte.

I’d pay £300 for those tickets plus I’d get them sausage and chips or whatever and we’d be happy. But I can’t do that.

Thankfully the boys are true claret and blue and not tempted by our local club, Crystal Palace. But I’d have a much easier time taking them there.

[aev]

Without being all solipsistic about it, I am exactly the kind of punter Heck should be targeting. I am a lapsed ST holder since moving to Kent but I now have 2 young boys who would love to come to VP on occasion. We would make the special trip 2 or 3 times per season and I’d pay a premium.

But GA+ is completely useless to me. I obviously wouldn’t drink beer so that is a waste and my kids aren’t going to make a dent in the buffet. Plus, I’d rather sit on the half way line than the Holte.

I’d pay £300 for those tickets plus I’d get them sausage and chips or whatever and we’d be happy. But I can’t do that.

Thankfully the boys are true claret and blue and not tempted by our local club, Crystal Palace. But I’d have a much easier time taking them there.

That is 6 of us in the same situation in Beckenham...

[LeeS]

Without being all solipsistic about it, I am exactly the kind of punter Heck should be targeting. I am a lapsed ST holder since moving to Kent but I now have 2 young boys who would love to come to VP on occasion. We would make the special trip 2 or 3 times per season and I’d pay a premium.

But GA+ is completely useless to me. I obviously wouldn’t drink beer so that is a waste and my kids aren’t going to make a dent in the buffet. Plus, I’d rather sit on the half way line than the Holte.

I’d pay £300 for those tickets plus I’d get them sausage and chips or whatever and we’d be happy. But I can’t do that.

Thankfully the boys are true claret and blue and not tempted by our local club, Crystal Palace. But I’d have a much easier time taking them there.

That is 6 of us in the same situation in Beckenham...

We should hire a minibus!

[Nii Lamptey]

Without being all solipsistic about it, I am exactly the kind of punter Heck should be targeting. I am a lapsed ST holder since moving to Kent but I now have 2 young boys who would love to come to VP on occasion. We would make the special trip 2 or 3 times per season and I’d pay a premium.

But GA+ is completely useless to me. I obviously wouldn’t drink beer so that is a waste and my kids aren’t going to make a dent in the buffet. Plus, I’d rather sit on the half way line than the Holte.

I’d pay £300 for those tickets plus I’d get them sausage and chips or whatever and we’d be happy. But I can’t do that.

Thankfully the boys are true claret and blue and not tempted by our local club, Crystal Palace. But I’d have a much easier time taking them there.

With the greatest respect, you can bugger off if you think you and your prawn sandwich are displacing me from my seat I've held for years in Upper Trinity A5! 😄

I don't think regular attending fans have an issue with day trippers, part timers filling the stadium. The problem is that the club are trying to get these people in by DISPLACING/PRICING OUT fans who have gone to every game for years, pretty much devoting their lives to the club.

The decision to not knock down the North Stand will come back to haunt us imo. THAT is where Heck could have made his money - Instead, he's alienated the lifeblood of the club, by vandalising our much cherished Holte End, kicking season ticket holders out of the 'lower grounds', etc.

Someone mentioned earlier on another thread about the next generation of Villa fans literally being priced out of becoming fans too. We should be welcoming them in with open arms while we're successful on the pitch, not milking them on inflated ticket and shirt prices.

Everything seems just so short sighted.

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People are assuming that a New North Stand would mean lower prices and I'm not sure why.