Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[Chip Butty 111]

I think everybody grudgingly accepts that prices needed to rise. What he's done, is go way, way beyond what people think is reasonable and it's not sustainable. He doubled most of the hospitality prices so lots of people told them to shove it, and now there's loads left unsold. He's then tried to fleece everybody on Champions League prices, and has unleashed a barrage of really bad publicity. Meanwhile, the conditions for the average fan remain absolutely dire. That's not a good way to build a higher income that's going to stay high for years.

It definitely feels like a bit of a gamble. However, with the way the team is playing, longer-term success feels achievable, and that in itself will drive it.

As a club we're trying to play with the big boys, and price rises, increases in corporate numbers is inevitable. The issue is that he's aiming really high with prices without fixing the easy stuff first.

The improvement on the pitch has been far more rapid than expected (I mean nobody thought we'd get Champions League yet) which means we're being hit with these prices earlier than we'd have thought.

It's definitely a gamble, but an ill judged one . He clearly hasn't done his homework on ticket pricing historically, or with other teams pricing for the CL games. And it's bitten him on the arse.
I'm not sure how many schoolboy errors he's got left up his sleeve tbh..

[john e]

This is a Champions League game though and against a team we havent played in 40 odd years. It's different than playing Arsenal which we do twice a year.

We’ll sell out the Bayern game I’m talking about the overall strategy

[Drummond]

I think everybody grudgingly accepts that prices needed to rise. What he's done, is go way, way beyond what people think is reasonable and it's not sustainable. He doubled most of the hospitality prices so lots of people told them to shove it, and now there's loads left unsold. He's then tried to fleece everybody on Champions League prices, and has unleashed a barrage of really bad publicity. Meanwhile, the conditions for the average fan remain absolutely dire. That's not a good way to build a higher income that's going to stay high for years.

It definitely feels like a bit of a gamble. However, with the way the team is playing, longer-term success feels achievable, and that in itself will drive it.

As a club we're trying to play with the big boys, and price rises, increases in corporate numbers is inevitable. The issue is that he's aiming really high with prices without fixing the easy stuff first.

The improvement on the pitch has been far more rapid than expected (I mean nobody thought we'd get Champions League yet) which means we're being hit with these prices earlier than we'd have thought.

It's definitely a gamble, but an ill judged one . He clearly hasn't done his homework on ticket pricing historically, or with other teams pricing for the CL games. And it's bitten him on the arse.
I'm not sure how many schoolboy errors he's got left up his sleeve tbh..

Of course he's done his homework, of course he knows what everyone else charges, nothing has bitten him.

And this isn't a schoolboy error at all, it's a considered and thought out plan. Whether we agree with it, like it or will put up with it is a whole different thing.

[john e]

I think everybody grudgingly accepts that prices needed to rise. What he's done, is go way, way beyond what people think is reasonable and it's not sustainable. He doubled most of the hospitality prices so lots of people told them to shove it, and now there's loads left unsold. He's then tried to fleece everybody on Champions League prices, and has unleashed a barrage of really bad publicity. Meanwhile, the conditions for the average fan remain absolutely dire. That's not a good way to build a higher income that's going to stay high for years.

It definitely feels like a bit of a gamble. However, with the way the team is playing, longer-term success feels achievable, and that in itself will drive it.

As a club we're trying to play with the big boys, and price rises, increases in corporate numbers is inevitable. The issue is that he's aiming really high with prices without fixing the easy stuff first.

The improvement on the pitch has been far more rapid than expected (I mean nobody thought we'd get Champions League yet) which means we're being hit with these prices earlier than we'd have thought.

It's definitely a gamble, but an ill judged one . He clearly hasn't done his homework on ticket pricing historically, or with other teams pricing for the CL games. And it's bitten him on the arse.
I'm not sure how many schoolboy errors he's got left up his sleeve tbh..

Of course he's done his homework, of course he knows what everyone else charges, nothing has bitten him.

And this isn't a schoolboy error at all, it's a considered and thought out plan. Whether we agree with it, like it or will put up with it is a whole different thing.

I don’t think he’s got a fucking clue about the fan base

[kippaxvilla2]

We are basically acting like a typical small time club that thinks it’s hit the jackpot for one season so needs to fleece the fans before we return to our rightful place.  I remember the beginning of the long slog back to the premier league that home game against Huddersfield the 1-1 the fluky deflection.  Those fans that went to every game in those dire seasons are being shit on from a great height.

[Ads]

Looking at Everton, there's a smattering of GA+ currently not sold. A smattering of single tickets left too. There must be 80-90% capacity/take up on these GA+ stuff at present.

[Risso]

Of course he's done his homework, of course he knows what everyone else charges, nothing has bitten him.

And this isn't a schoolboy error at all, it's a considered and thought out plan. Whether we agree with it, like it or will put up with it is a whole different thing.

You don't think that a huge onslaught of negative publicity in the mainstream media and on social media isn't biting him on the arse at least a little bit? I'm trying to work out why you're defending him quite so vehemently, but frankly, I can't work it out. It's a bit weird mate.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Anyone can Jack up ticket prices and put VIP boxes here and there, but the more important thing is to know your customer base, we’re not in London and we are not a globalist club like Man United or Liverpool what works for them might not work for us

Having non-sell-out games and areas of hospitality that don’t prove popular will not be a sure and save way of increasing revenue, it will be seen as a financial failure

That’s why I believe Hecks going to have to understand the fan base far more than he has so far or he’ll be flying back to the USA on a permanent basis
His excuse will be that’s what he’s been brought in to do but it’s still got to work and I’ve said before, I honestly believe our fan base is different from those in London and the 2 world franchises in the north west

Absolutely. We fortunately still have a traditional fanbase and whilst that will change with a higher international profile, it hasn't changed overnight yet Heck is really getting the basic marketing wrong, he is so focused on the acquisition of new fans he's completely ignored the retention of existing fans.

[purpletrousers]

I don’t think it’s defence by Drummond, it’s distinguishing conscious risk taking from unaware decision making. The bridge between this is both can be mistakes, missteps. I’ve just been crafting a tweet for him, can I get some feedback?

[purpletrousers]

Thoughts before I send this out to be ignored?


1] https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chris-heck-promises-protect-loyalty-29489038
Chris Heck promises to 'protect' loyalty amid £400m Aston Villa plan”
Begins
‘Aston Villa's president of business operations Chris Heck has promised not to exploit the club's most loyal fans while trying to drive up the club's revenue to £400m by 2027’

2]
That article quotes an interesting US podcast which shows a more natural Heck talking about the PSR issue of not just owner wealth, but how to generate £ to spend
https://www.youtube.com/live/2Ox5fSxGfpg?si 1h02m40
& esp
“How do you do that without ticking [pi**ing] off your most loyal fans?”

3]
“That’s the formula that we have found, let’s protect our season ticket base, our local fans first, the core fan, protect them, and then find new revenue streams to pump up the value of the club and the spending opportunity of the club.”

It’s clearly a challenging remit.

4]
Yet @chrisheck76 are you not hanging yourself with your own rope?

Unanimously an over step, a mistake. More than having ‘ticked off’ core fans. Preventing some from attending the very thing they have craved for 40 years?

If CL sells out PL will suffer

What’s the plan Stan?

[Drummond]

Of course he's done his homework, of course he knows what everyone else charges, nothing has bitten him.

And this isn't a schoolboy error at all, it's a considered and thought out plan. Whether we agree with it, like it or will put up with it is a whole different thing.

You don't think that a huge onslaught of negative publicity in the mainstream media and on social media isn't biting him on the arse at least a little bit? I'm trying to work out why you're defending him quite so vehemently, but frankly, I can't work it out. It's a bit weird mate.

I'm not defending him. The prices are wrong. Whoever decided on them is wrong; whether it's him, NSWE, or that other bloke, it's wrong and taking the piss.

My point, if anything, is quite the opposite, this is considered, this is a plan; it's not a simple mistake, nor a little misjudgement. He's not stupid, he doesn't make schoolboy errors over big issues like this.

He's not bitten on the arse, he'll have known there will be a backlash, but then we'll sell out and he'll feel wholly vindicated. And in a way, he will be. Though everyday loyal fans won't be happy.

Prices for everything are going up, but tickets for a game costing more than a replica shirt? Weird world.

[Risso]

Good stuff Satyin!

[purpletrousers]

One extra to that Drummond which I agree with, is I don’t buy the repeated argument that a few extra million don’t make that much difference, it’s one bad and overly painful wrong decision in the context of many decisions, lots of marginal gains in multiple areas and big gains is exactly his remit, it’s the sum total at the end of the day that does make the difference to players signed, to upgrading to an Onana from a lesser option. We can’t undo the horrific Gerard era deals, we are where we are. I’m not defending him, I think it’s wrong and possibly immoral. I’m putting forward the facts as I see them.

[Chip Butty 111]

I think everybody grudgingly accepts that prices needed to rise. What he's done, is go way, way beyond what people think is reasonable and it's not sustainable. He doubled most of the hospitality prices so lots of people told them to shove it, and now there's loads left unsold. He's then tried to fleece everybody on Champions League prices, and has unleashed a barrage of really bad publicity. Meanwhile, the conditions for the average fan remain absolutely dire. That's not a good way to build a higher income that's going to stay high for years.

It definitely feels like a bit of a gamble. However, with the way the team is playing, longer-term success feels achievable, and that in itself will drive it.

As a club we're trying to play with the big boys, and price rises, increases in corporate numbers is inevitable. The issue is that he's aiming really high with prices without fixing the easy stuff first.

The improvement on the pitch has been far more rapid than expected (I mean nobody thought we'd get Champions League yet) which means we're being hit with these prices earlier than we'd have thought.

It's definitely a gamble, but an ill judged one . He clearly hasn't done his homework on ticket pricing historically, or with other teams pricing for the CL games. And it's bitten him on the arse.
I'm not sure how many schoolboy errors he's got left up his sleeve tbh..

Of course he's done his homework, of course he knows what everyone else charges, nothing has bitten him.

And this isn't a schoolboy error at all, it's a considered and thought out plan. Whether we agree with it, like it or will put up with it is a whole different thing.

I don’t think he’s got a fucking clue about the fan base

If he's done his homework he got an E.
When the story is news on SSN and on the back of the tabloids, journalists like Winter calling it folly and arrogance, and page upon page of posters on here absolutely raging, it's definitely bitten him on the arse.
If it hadn't bitten him on the arse we wouldn't be discussing it now obviously.
Also if it was a well thought out plan there wouldn't be all the noise surrounding it.Well thought out plans go smoothly.
And I'd suggest alienating the fanbase is about as good as you could get in reference to schoolboy errors.

[Sexual Ealing]

The games will sell out. The club are banking on supply and demand model.

Those other clubs have sustained success, they have won the competition, they qualify every season, so fans have been there and seen it. I suspect in future years we won't charge that.

Don't all businesses, and indeed all market economies, work on a supply and demand model?