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Author Topic: Villa Park Redevelopment  (Read 528829 times)

Offline chrisw1

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1530 on: October 05, 2022, 08:51:43 AM »
That may be what they'd prefer to do, but it's not what they should do.
I don’t think it would reflect well if they said to some fans, you may lose your seats but we’re not quite sure, we’re not quite sure what the seating layout and pricing will be in the new stand so no we can’t discuss that as an option yet.  No, not 100% on timescales so cant really confirm that either.  Yes, we know it’s a bit shit, but we just wanted to worry you about your seat as early as possible without being able to confirm anything or discuss alternatives.  That’s right, we felt it was the right thing to do.

The alternative happened. We found out about this whilst trawling through the planning application and realised we might be loosing our seats. So contacted the club, only for them to say they know nothing about it and they’ll get back to us. A simple communication telling us this is in the pipeline and that they will contact us closer to the time with alternative options would have sufficed…. People would still be pi@@ed off anyway, but at least the club doesn’t look like it might be hiding something.
I still think if they had contacted you and said it's possible you will lose your seat but we're not sure and have no further info at this point, you'd still think it was a shitshow and be complaining about that.  I'm not quite sure what people expect from the club here when plans are still evolving?  If ultimately you do lose your seat (for which I would have sympathy) I'd guess you'll still have at least 12-18 months notice with the various options on the table, hopefully including location, indicative pricing and possibly even CGI seat views etc. Isn't that enough? 

Offline London Villan

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1531 on: October 05, 2022, 09:06:17 AM »
If you are in the North Stand then with the redevelopment being talked about for ages I think the fans were expecting it, However, I don't think a lot of fans realise that changes in the Trinity. About a third of the lower tier, as well as the blocks behind the dugout will change.

I'd imagine those blocks behind the dugout have a massive proportion of fans that have been season ticket holders for 15-20 years and who have stuck by the club through some pretty dismal times (as I am sure there are other blocks around the ground that have a similar proportion). It would've been good from the club to at least indicate to a group of longstanding and pretty loyal fans (paying customers who will have spent £000s with the club) that due to the redevelopment things might change - rather than fans finding out through delving into the planning docs and word of mouth.

There is a big gap in Villa's pricing model - from top-end match tickets at £60 each through to low-end hospitality at £150ish each. C4 and C5 (along with a similar section in the new North Stand according to the plans) will be priced to bridge that gap.


Offline Clampy

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1532 on: October 05, 2022, 09:11:33 AM »
I'm with Chris on this one. I'm sure the club will contact those affected when everything is finalised. It's not as if it's all going to happen tomorrow.

Offline Nev

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1533 on: October 05, 2022, 09:58:02 AM »
The blocks around the dug outs at Wembley are corporate and look terrible after HT and at the start of the match due to latecomers taking their seats, I wager you will see the same in this case.

I wonder how much this is about creating an almost neutral buffer between the players and coaches and the normal fans, there was talk about some trouble, if you can call it that, a couple of weeks ago.

Offline chrisw1

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1534 on: October 05, 2022, 10:01:04 AM »
I wonder how much this is about creating an almost neutral buffer between the players and coaches and the normal fans,
I'd imagine none of it whatsoever.

Online pauliewalnuts

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1535 on: October 05, 2022, 10:06:54 AM »
The blocks around the dug outs at Wembley are corporate and look terrible after HT and at the start of the match due to latecomers taking their seats, I wager you will see the same in this case.


That is exactly what I was thinking - it needs to be full every week or it's going to look very embarassing.


Offline frank black

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1536 on: October 05, 2022, 10:07:18 AM »
I'm with Chris on this one. I'm sure the club will contact those affected when everything is finalised. It's not as if it's all going to happen tomorrow.

Generally I’d expect these discussions go on behind closed doors before coming to conclusions. So they can announce them once confirmed. It’s unfortunate that this has come out via some digging from supporters. It will be interesting to see if we get any further info at this stage or whether they decide to wait until whatever stage is next in the planning. They’ll probably sit us next to our old seats and make us watch them eating their snacks, sitting in their heated padded seats and sipping their fizz. 😂

Offline LeeB

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1537 on: October 05, 2022, 10:22:50 AM »
If I was paying top whack I'd want to be watching from a more elevated level than that.

Online eamonn

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1538 on: October 05, 2022, 10:57:15 AM »
The blocks around the dug outs at Wembley are corporate and look terrible after HT and at the start of the match due to latecomers taking their seats, I wager you will see the same in this case.


That is exactly what I was thinking - it needs to be full every week or it's going to look very embarassing.



Didn't we already have this issue after the Trinity was redeveloped? Switched the TV gantry back to the Doug Ellis stand but the gaping gaps in the middle of the Trinity where corporates were slow to take-up their seats made the stadium look half-empty?  Maybe I imagined that as I can't find footage with the camera pointing from the Trinity.

Offline frank black

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1539 on: October 05, 2022, 10:59:49 AM »
If I was paying top whack I'd want to be watching from a more elevated level than that.

Agreed, the actual match view (especially the first 7/8 rows) isn’t great. They are good seats for the interaction with the bench and that pitch side feel. But yep I certainly would pay a premium for em.

Offline LeeB

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1540 on: October 05, 2022, 11:04:04 AM »
If I was paying top whack I'd want to be watching from a more elevated level than that.

Agreed, the actual match view (especially the first 7/8 rows) isn’t great. They are good seats for the interaction with the bench and that pitch side feel. But yep I certainly would pay a premium for em.

I used to sit a few rows behind the dugouts in the old stand in the Big Ron era, it was good fun with the interactions as you say, but I don't enjoy the lowered perspective these days. I'd rather be higher behind the goal than lower down side on.

Offline chrisw1

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1541 on: October 05, 2022, 11:04:14 AM »
The blocks around the dug outs at Wembley are corporate and look terrible after HT and at the start of the match due to latecomers taking their seats, I wager you will see the same in this case.


That is exactly what I was thinking - it needs to be full every week or it's going to look very embarassing.



Didn't we already have this issue after the Trinity was redeveloped? Switched the TV gantry back to the Doug Ellis stand but the gaping gaps in the middle of the Trinity where corporates were slow to take-up their seats made the stadium look half-empty?  Maybe I imagined that as I can't find footage with the camera pointing from the Trinity.
I'm sure most big clubs have this issue and you'll see it at every international game too.  It comes with the territory and the need to pay huge wages to compete.

Offline frank black

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1542 on: October 05, 2022, 11:32:01 AM »
If I was paying top whack I'd want to be watching from a more elevated level than that.

Agreed, the actual match view (especially the first 7/8 rows) isn’t great. They are good seats for the interaction with the bench and that pitch side feel. But yep I certainly would pay a premium for em.

I used to sit a few rows behind the dugouts in the old stand in the Big Ron era, it was good fun with the interactions as you say, but I don't enjoy the lowered perspective these days. I'd rather be higher behind the goal than lower down side on.

Best seat I had was upper Witton, first row and on the half way line. Absolutely perfect .

Online eamonn

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1543 on: October 05, 2022, 12:15:49 PM »
The blocks around the dug outs at Wembley are corporate and look terrible after HT and at the start of the match due to latecomers taking their seats, I wager you will see the same in this case.


That is exactly what I was thinking - it needs to be full every week or it's going to look very embarassing.



Didn't we already have this issue after the Trinity was redeveloped? Switched the TV gantry back to the Doug Ellis stand but the gaping gaps in the middle of the Trinity where corporates were slow to take-up their seats made the stadium look half-empty?  Maybe I imagined that as I can't find footage with the camera pointing from the Trinity.
I'm sure most big clubs have this issue and you'll see it at every international game too.  It comes with the territory and the need to pay huge wages to compete.

I've only ever notice it sticking out at Villa Park and Wembley. Oh and behind one of the goals at Old Trafford - where they have that weird section of banked/spacious seating that looks half-empty underneath the away supporters.

Offline OCD

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Re: Villa Park Redevelopment
« Reply #1544 on: October 05, 2022, 12:21:23 PM »
If I was paying top whack, I would want an executive box. I've sat in those seats around the dugout and they're ok for the odd game but I wouldn't want it for a season. I don't know whether it's still like it, but when I was in the front row, the curvature of the pitch meant you couldn't see the ball when it was at someone's feet.

 


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