Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If and when we decide to rebuild the North Stand that will reduce the capacity by c 7,000 to roughly 36,000.

Doesn't leave much room for  Heck's big earning hospitality seats - assuming season ticket holders in the North Stand "rehomed" in the Holte, Trinity and Witton Lane.

That will surely have a significant impact on revenue?

Depends if he's actually any good at his job. Anybody could have come in and gone for ticket pricing, it was the lowest hanging fruit.

[lovejoy]

Surely this is a case of supply and demand. If he overcharges for tickets then the ground becomes emptier. As it is currently full increasing prices makes (business) sense.

[andyh]

Do we sometimes lose sight of the reason behind everything that goes on at the club ?

Ultimately, it’s about success on the pitch and the way to go about doing that.
And it really is about that.

We don’t have shareholders who demand a dividend.
We don’t have owners who take a salary or percentage of earnings.

I suspect that every single penny the club makes goes back into the club by way of operating costs and salaries, both paying staff and none playing staff.


We know that our player salaries are at a ridiculously high ratio vs turnover. 90% + ?.

Yet, we demand better players. We demand the better players are given contract extensions.

Being brutally honest about it, players earning £100k+ per week are the reason we need to keep increasing revenue.
The only people making serious money are players and agents.
And someone has to pay for them.

Yes, Heck appears to be out of step with the grass roots supporters. He has made some horrendous decisions and I am sure there are more to come.

But is seems to me that drive to increase revenue, increase available funds, is to buy and retain the best players to try and give US the success we crave.

Is not to pay dividends and salaries to people who don’t really care as long as they get paid.

[Sexual Ealing]

Do we sometimes lose sight of the reason behind everything that goes on at the club ?

Ultimately, it’s about success on the pitch and the way to go about doing that.
And it really is about that.

We don’t have shareholders who demand a dividend.
We don’t have owners who take a salary or percentage of earnings.

I suspect that every single penny the club makes goes back into the club by way of operating costs and salaries, both paying staff and none playing staff.


We know that our player salaries are at a ridiculously high ratio vs turnover. 90% + ?.

Yet, we demand better players. We demand the better players are given contract extensions.

Being brutally honest about it, players earning £100k+ per week are the reason we need to keep increasing revenue.
The only people making serious money are players and agents.
And someone has to pay for them.

Yes, Heck appears to be out of step with the grass roots supporters. He has made some horrendous decisions and I am sure there are more to come.

But is seems to me that drive to increase revenue, increase available funds, is to buy and retain the best players to try and give US the success we crave.

Is not to pay dividends and salaries to people who don’t really care as long as they get paid.

You make a good point, andyh. On the other hand, he's got a face like a beagle's arse and there are some things you just don't get past.

[andyh]

^^
To be fair, I think he’s uglier than that

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Surely this is a case of supply and demand. If he overcharges for tickets then the ground becomes emptier. As it is currently full increasing prices makes (business) sense.

No offence Lovejoy but there's so much I hate and wrong about this statement. It relies on dismissing the loyal, often generational support who up until now have made our club and Villa Park so special being replaced by anybody willing to pay the price to watch a/any PL/CL game. Oscar Wilde's “(Heck) knows the price of everything and the value of nothing” or at least that's how he appears until now, just following the trend of exploiting loyal fans. When that bubble bursts, and it will one day, what's going to be left?

Looking to the future, the way I see it is we need a 60,000 capacity stadium that would see two thirds of tickets (40,000) being allocated for season ticket holders. Sensible pricing, a family ticket option and concessions for kids (u16) and senior citizens. The remaining 20,000 tickets can go to away fans (3.500) and the rest (16.500) for Villa club members (concessions apply) and day trippers.

As the old proverb goes, 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush'. Build on your existing support, the solid foundation. Plus there are numerous alternatives to increasing our revenue not to mention reducing our costs.

[eamonn]

Right now, our approach is akin to an Avon lady with a boot full of heroin.

My Marilyn, come to my slum for an hour.

[Somniloquism]

If and when we decide to rebuild the North Stand that will reduce the capacity by c 7,000 to roughly 36,000.

Doesn't leave much room for  Heck's big earning hospitality seats - assuming season ticket holders in the North Stand "rehomed" in the Holte, Trinity and Witton Lane.

That will surely have a significant impact on revenue?

We are allowed to knock off the losses of a stadium rebuild based on the average revenue the stand brings in over the last few years. So the work to drop extra GA+ and seats in the NS last season was to improve the money coming in, which we can then use in PSR calculations. Yes it will have an impact on Revenue, but the revenue gains are there to help improve the team going forward so far.

[PeterWithesShin]

Wasn't sure where else to put this

Around 400 people have attended a community Iftar meal held at Aston's Villa's football stadium during Ramadan.

The Open Iftar, external saw members of the local community gather to break their fast together at Villa Park's Holte End on Friday evening.

The free event, organised by charity Ramadan Tent Project, is one of dozens taking place throughout the Islamic holy month, where Muslims fast everyday from dawn to sunset.

Sam Ghataora, EDI lead at Aston Villa, said the club wanted to create a space for all cultures by "celebrating the spirit of Ramadan through shared meals".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d411geee5o

[LeeB]

Do we sometimes lose sight of the reason behind everything that goes on at the club ?

Ultimately, it’s about success on the pitch and the way to go about doing that.
And it really is about that.

We don’t have shareholders who demand a dividend.
We don’t have owners who take a salary or percentage of earnings.

I suspect that every single penny the club makes goes back into the club by way of operating costs and salaries, both paying staff and none playing staff.


We know that our player salaries are at a ridiculously high ratio vs turnover. 90% + ?.

Yet, we demand better players. We demand the better players are given contract extensions.

Being brutally honest about it, players earning £100k+ per week are the reason we need to keep increasing revenue.
The only people making serious money are players and agents.
And someone has to pay for them.

Yes, Heck appears to be out of step with the grass roots supporters. He has made some horrendous decisions and I am sure there are more to come.

But is seems to me that drive to increase revenue, increase available funds, is to buy and retain the best players to try and give US the success we crave.

Is not to pay dividends and salaries to people who don’t really care as long as they get paid.

You make a good point, andyh. On the other hand, he's got a face like a beagle's arse and there are some things you just don't get past.

As a proud owner of a beagle I'd like to take issue with this as his arse is stately is comparison to most other breeds.

[paul_e]

Wasn't sure where else to put this

Around 400 people have attended a community Iftar meal held at Aston's Villa's football stadium during Ramadan.

The Open Iftar, external saw members of the local community gather to break their fast together at Villa Park's Holte End on Friday evening.

The free event, organised by charity Ramadan Tent Project, is one of dozens taking place throughout the Islamic holy month, where Muslims fast everyday from dawn to sunset.

Sam Ghataora, EDI lead at Aston Villa, said the club wanted to create a space for all cultures by "celebrating the spirit of Ramadan through shared meals".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d411geee5o

I think this is exactly the sort of things we should do more of once the warehouse is up and running, these sort of community and cultural events are a great way of making people in the area see the benefits of having the club where it is and the cost for us is tiny.

[IFWaters]

Whenever someone says Chris Heck now I just see the eminently punchable face of JD Vance, the dark prince of all C**tdom.

[Villan82]

If, and it is a big if, the rumours of a belated north stand expansion prove to be genuine, I will wipe the slate clean on Heck.

I just hated the way the previous decision was communicated and was hard to swallow on top of the pricing etc.

I still think a new stand would be a neater solution than an expanded North but it at least would get us to 50k which is where we have needed to be for some time

[algy]

Wasn't sure where else to put this

Around 400 people have attended a community Iftar meal held at Aston's Villa's football stadium during Ramadan.

The Open Iftar, external saw members of the local community gather to break their fast together at Villa Park's Holte End on Friday evening.

The free event, organised by charity Ramadan Tent Project, is one of dozens taking place throughout the Islamic holy month, where Muslims fast everyday from dawn to sunset.

Sam Ghataora, EDI lead at Aston Villa, said the club wanted to create a space for all cultures by "celebrating the spirit of Ramadan through shared meals".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1d411geee5o

I think this is exactly the sort of things we should do more of once the warehouse is up and running, these sort of community and cultural events are a great way of making people in the area see the benefits of having the club where it is and the cost for us is tiny.

Agree totally.

[Des Little]

While they’re breaking their fast in the Holte, the bulldozers are tearing their houses down to make way for the new triple decker Doctor Tony Xia stand on Witton Lane.