Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[Ads]

That's not a media strategy.

Putting 8 figure sums in print is the best media strategy I've ever seen from us. Beats Proud History/Bright Future.

[chrisw1]

We qualified on Tuesday, these deals were agreed prior to that. They dwarf anything else we've ever done by a country mile.

I'm sure you would agree they were negotiated from a position of significantly more strength compared to when the previous deals were agreed.  I think it's reasonable to observe that point when people imply the previous deals were shite.

[Ads]

And?

[chrisw1]

And?

That it should be taken into consideration when blowing smoke up Heck's arse or having a go at Purslows deals.

Fucking hell, is this stuff really so hard for you?

[London Villan]

Surely sponsorship deals are driven by the market value. We'd not finished in the top half for 10 years before last season. Having one of the best managers in the world is a massive plus too, although it could be argued that Slippy had a higher profile (based on his playing career) when he was appointed.

18 months of brilliant performances have been the biggest driver in the deals - perhaps there should have been more bonuses in the deals, maybe there were?!

But there is no way Adidas would have touched us if we were still bobbing around in 15th place.

[Ads]

I'm not as clever as you Chris, maybe use finger puppets or do a power point with them "whooooohes" to make it easier for me.

I fail to see the relevance of "position of strength". We're better than we were last year. We hadn't qualified for anything when these deals were agreed. They dwarf anything else. All factual, "easy" to follow stuff. Who cares who is in the seat*- it's Heck and good luck to him, as we're making more cash than we ever have and we absolutely need to as well.


* self evidently a few of you and I agree with LeeB.

[Risso]

I'm not as clever as you Chris, maybe use finger puppets or do a power point with them "whooooohes" to make it easier for me.

I fail to see the relevance of "position of strength". We're better than we were last year. We hadn't qualified for anything when these deals were agreed. They dwarf anything else. All factual, "easy" to follow stuff. Who cares who is in the seat*- it's Heck and good luck to him, as we're making more cash than we ever have and we absolutely need to as well.


* self evidently a few of you and I agree with LeeB.

Well we were in Europe for the first time and have hardly been out of the top 5 all season, so Europa League at the very least was looking likely.

[Ads]

Good, long may it continue. Especially if it makes rinsing these corporate partners for £50m plus a season even easier.

[Drummond]

I find it funny that people are trying to dampen down the good work he's doing. it comes across as not wanting him to do as well.

[chrisw1]

My only real problem with Heck is cancelling the new stand. I think this will come back to bite both the club in terms of revenue and day-to-day fans as tickets become even scarcer because a larger proportion of existing seats will now be 'premium'

I don't much like the new badge but understand the reasoning.

I don't much like Lower Grounds but understand the reasoning.

I'm very happy with the Adidas deal, I think it's great to have them as kit supplier.  I'm also happy with the better shirt sponsorship deals.  All a few of us have said is that he was negotiating from a significantly stronger position than Purslow was when he agreed the previous deals, so it's hardly surprising they're significantly better deals.   

[Brazilian Villain]

Well we were in Europe for the first time and have hardly been out of the top 5 all season, so Europa League at the very least was looking likely.

Exactly, it's not as if he secured the Betano deal for Small Heath.

[algy]

Basically I agree with Ads on all this.  You can give it all the justifications and 'what ifs' you like, but in cold hard numbers Heck is doing a decent job.

The 'run based on efficiency rather than ambition' I'm sure strikes a chord with many.  I'm more of an Ellis apologist than most on here, but even I can see that the corner shop mentality - which needed to go out of the window in the early 90s and was blatantly outdated by the time Lerner pulled up - has held us back significantly.  The deals we seem to be doing with Adidas - especially with the seats and stuff - seem perfectly sensible.

I can also sit comfortably in saying that I thought (and said to anyone who'd listen to me) the new North Stand designs made Villa Park look like a bloody Asda at the time, and I still think they did now.  I'm glad they've been scrapped.  Hopefully the longer term plan is also based on ambition - to have the best ground in the country - rather than efficiency - to get to a 50k capacity ground 2 seasons quicker and a few million quid cheaper.

[Dogtanian]

I think our revenue for next season could be approaching the £300m mark. A huge improvement on where we have been, but still way off the likes of Arsenal and Spurs, the closest of the 'big 6' in revenues, who will be in the £500-600ms.

As we we plan to compete with them, we will also have a plan to get our revenue up there too. I don't see how that's going to be possible without significant expansion to the stadium, so I am guessing they have an ultimate plan. They're just not telling us.

[Risso]

As we we plan to compete with them, we will also have a plan to get our revenue up there too. I don't see how that's going to be possible without significant expansion to the stadium, so I am guessing they have an ultimate plan. They're just not telling us.

They have to be, or the deal with Atairos looks completely pointless.

[kippaxvilla2]

Like most corporate suits he’s got some things right and some things wrong.