Villa Park Redevelopment

[Chris Harte]

I agree. A New North solves none of the issues which will make is deficient compared to Arsenal, Spurs, Man City, Liverpool, Everton etc.

New ground and whether it's a rebuild where we are or somewhere else, I think that's the plan.

I agree - I think it will be somewhere else to enable us to continue playing at VP until the new one is ready with a few extra seats squeezed into VP somewhere.

I wonder if the new hospitability is there to gauge how much demand their is so that any new build is designed appropriately?

I suspect trying to do things like the Lower Grounds has helped them reach the decision. They are seeing just how hard it's going to be to shoehorn these premium experiences into the existing ground, especially without alienating existing fans.

From what I've  read about the Lower Grounds, I don't see how it could remotely be described as corporate. The fact its bench seating in there (honestly, my work place canteen looks more plush, tbh) and the food options sound on a par with mostly what is available to buy elsewhere for those with regular tickets.

If the environment was more like a lounge, better food and drink options, and with the explayer Q&A sessions it might seem like part way to corporate. It could even, if done right, tempt a few people to try full fat corporate once in a while when it becomes available. But instead it just looks like it's been done on the cheap. Throw it up fast with minimal initial outlay.

[Dogtanian]

I agree. A New North solves none of the issues which will make is deficient compared to Arsenal, Spurs, Man City, Liverpool, Everton etc.

New ground and whether it's a rebuild where we are or somewhere else, I think that's the plan.

I agree - I think it will be somewhere else to enable us to continue playing at VP until the new one is ready with a few extra seats squeezed into VP somewhere.

I wonder if the new hospitability is there to gauge how much demand their is so that any new build is designed appropriately?

I suspect trying to do things like the Lower Grounds has helped them reach the decision. They are seeing just how hard it's going to be to shoehorn these premium experiences into the existing ground, especially without alienating existing fans.

From what I've  read about the Lower Grounds, I don't see how it could remotely be described as corporate. The fact its bench seating in there (honestly, my work place canteen looks more plush, tbh) and the food options sound on a par with mostly what is available to buy elsewhere for those with regular tickets.

If the environment was more like a lounge, better food and drink options, and with the explayer Q&A sessions it might seem like part way to corporate. It could even, if done right, tempt a few people to try full fat corporate once in a while when it becomes available. But instead it just looks like it's been done on the cheap. Throw it up fast with minimal initial outlay.

Whether it's called corporate or not, the important thing for the club is giving people a reason to pay more for a seat. It's £120 a seat for that, rather than £48-63 is it?

This is what they want to do more of, giving fans options to give them more money to see the game.

[chrisw1]

It's not necessarily about corporate it's about GA+.  I believe the intention was for there to be a significant amount of GA+ seats in the new North.  I honestly think the take-up and attitude towards TV and LG has spooked them.

[Chris Harte]

It's not necessarily about corporate it's about GA+.  I believe the intention was for there to be a significant amount of GA+ seats in the new North.  I honestly think the take-up and attitude towards TV and LG has spooked them.

That's a fair point, but at the same time they must've realised the depth of feeling against doing something that could be perceived as corporate/light-corporate on the Holte. Not to mention what looks  like a shambolic execution of it.

[chrisw1]

It's not necessarily about corporate it's about GA+.  I believe the intention was for there to be a significant amount of GA+ seats in the new North.  I honestly think the take-up and attitude towards TV and LG has spooked them.

That's a fair point, but at the same time they must've realised the depth of feeling against doing something that could be perceived as corporate/light-corporate on the Holte. Not to mention what looks  like a shambolic execution of it.

I honestly think this aspect simply passed Purslow by.  You would think they understand it now but I'm convinced they still don't get it.

[paul_e]

It's not necessarily about corporate it's about GA+.  I believe the intention was for there to be a significant amount of GA+ seats in the new North.  I honestly think the take-up and attitude towards TV and LG has spooked them.

I think that would be very short sighted if true and I refuse to believe the people behind this would be so easily spooked. TV and LG is taking existing seats, adding stuff on that takes away from the rest of the fans and selling it as a package, a big part of the slow uptake is protest at them doing it as much as anything else. On top of that the announcement about the north stand was made after 8 games with TV and 4 or 5 with LG (I think), you wouldn't change a long-term strategy on the basis of such a small sample size, especially when the next 2 (Sheff U and Burnley) being over Christmas were likely to be the biggest uptake so far.

Much more likely is, as others have said, the Comcast investment means we're looking at a much bigger project.

[chrisw1]

If we were looking at scaling up not down they wouldn't be talking about there being 200 unsold seats, acknowledging that the waiting list is a bit of a farce (with most on it not having bought a ticket for 3 years plus) and spending the money on upgrading existing stands to try to squeeze in a few more seats.

Non of this signals bigger.  It all signals cuts.

[villa_cads]

It's not necessarily about corporate it's about GA+.  I believe the intention was for there to be a significant amount of GA+ seats in the new North.  I honestly think the take-up and attitude towards TV and LG has spooked them.

That's a fair point, but at the same time they must've realised the depth of feeling against doing something that could be perceived as corporate/light-corporate on the Holte. Not to mention what looks  like a shambolic execution of it.

Seems to me that it's an exercise to see the going rate if they constrict supply of GA, especially give the location of the seats (lower/lowest end of the GA price range). Do they have an upper limit on the number for these tickets? Would have thought the capacity of the Holte Suite / Terrace View.

[chrisw1]

It's not necessarily about corporate it's about GA+.  I believe the intention was for there to be a significant amount of GA+ seats in the new North.  I honestly think the take-up and attitude towards TV and LG has spooked them.

That's a fair point, but at the same time they must've realised the depth of feeling against doing something that could be perceived as corporate/light-corporate on the Holte. Not to mention what looks  like a shambolic execution of it.

Seems to me that it's an exercise to see the going rate if they constrict supply of GA, especially give the location of the seats (lower/lowest end of the GA price range). Do they have an upper limit on the number for these tickets? Would have thought the capacity of the Holte Suite / Terrace View.

TV is 1,000 max.  Not sure about LG - is it 600?

[Dave P]

Building a brand new ground at Villa Park means we'd have a long period where we wont have anywhere to play.  Spurs had Wembley, where would we go?

[Dogtanian]

Building a brand new ground at Villa Park means we'd have a long period where we wont have anywhere to play.  Spurs had Wembley, where would we go?

Remember, season tickets are capped at 25k I think.

Ricoh holds 32,609.
Molineux has 31,750.

I'd personally prefer the Ricoh, but it would be funny to make Wolves fans share their ground with us while we get an upgrade they can only dream about.

[itbrvilla]

Where do you find your position on the ST waiting list?

[Sexual Ealing]

Building a brand new ground at Villa Park means we'd have a long period where we wont have anywhere to play.  Spurs had Wembley, where would we go?

I was thinking about this. I know it'd be really shit for all concerned, but we might need to relocate to London for a couple of years. There's really nothing even vaguely local that will suffice.

[chrisw1]

Building a brand new ground at Villa Park means we'd have a long period where we wont have anywhere to play.  Spurs had Wembley, where would we go?

I was thinking about this. I know it'd be really shit for all concerned, but we might need to relocate to London for a couple of years. There's really nothing even vaguely local that will suffice.

I think it would be the Ricoh.  It has private owners I think so I'd presume they would be keen.

I don't think you'd get more than 30k going to London every other week, so there wouldn't be massive capacity benefits in a London ground share.

But we're not redeveloping.

[Villan82]

Building a brand new ground at Villa Park means we'd have a long period where we wont have anywhere to play.  Spurs had Wembley, where would we go?

I was thinking about this. I know it'd be really shit for all concerned, but we might need to relocate to London for a couple of years. There's really nothing even vaguely local that will suffice.

Or, I don't know, we could just do as we intended and play at a 36,000 capacity Villa Park until we get to 50,000 and then whenever we do the Witton we could just play at a 41,000 Villa Park until that's ready.

Honestly! Playing at the Wolves or the Coventry! We had a good plan I cannot understand how any alternative works.