Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[LeeB]

On a quick look, I'd estimate about a third of season ticket holders haven't taken up their tickets.

The flip side I know a couple of former season ticket holders who are on the waiting list looking at this as probably the only Champions League game they are likely to be able to go to. I am absolutely not using that as a justification for the prices but just to suggest that there is still some demand there.

I know what you are saying, the two old guys I sit next to aren’t going to Champs League games due to the prices but they have reallocated their tickets to others who were ‘desperate’ to go….upgrade from concession to adult, only a few quid but exactly why they made the concession prices so damn high

My dad is the same - as he said, you can buy a firestick and watch every single Villa game for the cost of one ticket.

Watching football on the tele is really shit though. Especially when you'd rather be there, hence the exploitative wankery of £90+ notes.

I would always have agreed with you, but as I get older I'm not so sure.

I'm not sure if it's just me changing, or the hassle getting to/from/just bloody into Villa Park, but it's really not appealing to me as it used to which is mad considering what we're actually seeing on the pitch.

[VillaTim]

Just take a look on the ticket website now and see how many STH have not exercised their right for Bologna. Wow!

they'll do well to scrape 35,000 for this one .

[Risso]

I'm not sure if it's just me changing, or the hassle getting to/from/just bloody into Villa Park, but it's really not appealing to me as it used to which is mad considering what we're actually seeing on the pitch.

Same for me mate. Other than the excitement from watching the match itself (and even that's not guaranteed) everything about Villa Park is a massive faff. Getting there, parking, getting in, getting served, needing a slash, and especially getting away afterwards.

[Ads]

It's a huge faff. And I never feel its more of a faff than when we're sat in some queue around J19 on the M6 and I look over to my lad and realise what I've done to him with this. But it was a faff in 2010. It's a faff in 2024. I'm still here and so are you all, as are most of the faces. That's surely the biggest test.

I feel the same about getting to work too. And I moan about how crap Manchester Airport is everytime I use it.

I think we're just moaning buggers, but that's humans for you.

[kippaxvilla2]

It is an absolute disgrace these prices.  How do I get a ticket for Bologna?  Asking for a friend.

[Brend'Watkins]

On a quick look, I'd estimate about a third of season ticket holders haven't taken up their tickets.

The flip side I know a couple of former season ticket holders who are on the waiting list looking at this as probably the only Champions League game they are likely to be able to go to. I am absolutely not using that as a justification for the prices but just to suggest that there is still some demand there.

I know what you are saying, the two old guys I sit next to aren’t going to Champs League games due to the prices but they have reallocated their tickets to others who were ‘desperate’ to go….upgrade from concession to adult, only a few quid but exactly why they made the concession prices so damn high

My dad is the same - as he said, you can buy a firestick and watch every single Villa game for the cost of one ticket.

Watching football on the tele is really shit though. Especially when you'd rather be there, hence the exploitative wankery of £90+ notes.

I would always have agreed with you, but as I get older I'm not so sure.

I'm not sure if it's just me changing, or the hassle getting to/from/just bloody into Villa Park, but it's really not appealing to me as it used to which is mad considering what we're actually seeing on the pitch.

The gloss has been taken off all the good work done by the playing side. I've missed 30 to 40 minutes of playing time so far this season due to 'technical issues' at the turnstiles.  This isn't acceptable. Everyone I know is pissed off with this, everyone I know is pissed off with the extent of increases to Season tickets, everyone I know is astounded at the prices for CL home games and flabbergasted at the £1,080 that the club have put on a CL corporate experience...for just the first phase of the CL, That price is so laughable if it wasn't so obscene for any stage of the CL.

The hierarchy need to get a grip soon because I fear this could turn ugly if results go wrong. I think commercial staff are pissed off too. I asked one of the suited ones to have a word with their boss while queuing last week. I got a knowing look and a roll of the eyes in return.

None of our group of 5 ST holders are taking up their option on the Bologna match. I'm undecided regarding the remainder of CL home games too. 

[Clampy]

It is an absolute disgrace these prices.  How do I get a ticket for Bologna?  Asking for a friend.

It would be cheaper to go to Bologna.

[Drummond]

I'm in a bit of a groove when I go. Expect nothing, so generally don't leave disappointed.

Most of the time it's drive down early, park, walk about 20 mins, to stretch my legs having been in the car for a couple of hours, pop to the shop if I'm with my lad, or for a pint if I'm not, watch the game, walk back to the car and come home. I get there early, because otherwise I feel like I've just sat in the car, so don't get impacted in the same way and try not to get stressed by waiting around. I've tried the Bartons, but last time I went the service was diabolical, and I couldn't be bothered. I don't have a routine for meeting anyone before, probably because I'm coming from so far away, and in reality don't have the relationships others do.

I'd love to know I could get served inside, without waiting for an age, but that's a gamble the closer to kick off it gets and having waited 30 minutes at half time, don't bother with that now.

I still feel excited for a game, but it would be nice to be excited about the whole experience, not just the football. I find it hard to understand why the club get it so wrong.

[Gareth]

It is a huge faff but the more expensive it gets (particularly with the abysmal services & facilities) the more people who will be inclined to give that faff a miss…football is such a habit thing that it’s very very difficult to get those that stop going regularly to start again. 

Be interesting to hear from any who have taken up GA+ options this year to get on ticket treadmill as to whether they feel they are getting value for money and whether at this point they’ll look to renew.

[kippaxvilla2]

It is an absolute disgrace these prices.  How do I get a ticket for Bologna?  Asking for a friend.

It would be cheaper to go to Bologna.

Wonder if they will  have a live broadcast from their stadium - might check it out.

[Dogtanian]

You never know - when we stick six past Bayern, people might reconsider and queue up to hand over their hard earned cash for Bologna.

[London Villan]

It is a faff - my dad is getting on a bit, so I need to consider his mobility, as well as cater for a 5 year old, who now expects 6 goals every home game after his first few visits.

Parking is a nightmare - I now drop them off at the Heart then get a parking space near the ground so the walk is as short as possible post-match. It means we have to arrive at least 2 hours before kick-off.

Post-match is as bad. The council's attempts to gridlock the city work a treat and because of the ages/mobility of the family public transport isn't an option. It now takes 90 minutes to get home (12 miles) whereas in the olden days we were home in half an hour.

Add to that trying to swap tickets - another hour and a half wasted, just to change the name and upgrade a ticket - after 7 days of trying to get through to the ticket office.

Add the disgusting facilities in the ground, the cost of tickets, the general attitude to fans who have supported the club through some (very recent) shit times.

People looking in must wonder why we bother!!

[DB]

I'll be going for mine later. It's blood expensive and Prem matches are hard to get to with my lad...so want to take him to as many CL matches as possible.

[Flamingo Lane]

And of course, the faff that others have described is multiplied many times over for night games.  Living away from the West Midlands for some time, but not a million miles away, I genuinely cannot recall the last time I attended a home night game at Villa Park, but quite possibly it was as long ago as Inter Milan, the night of Kent Nielsen's thunderbolt.   

[Nii Lamptey]

I know people are always moaning about getting in/out of Villa Park, but to me it's never been any different.

I live down in Kidderminster and from your standard 3pm Saturday kick-off, I'm home on the dot by 6pm, via M6>M5 - Never leave the ground early either, so I'm properly 'in the rush' if you like.

Of most grounds I've been too, it's always a pain in the arse. Never going to be straightforward when there are 40k+ people trying to exit a single area.

Regarding the clamour for a new ground - Be careful what you wish for. I'd rather sit in traffic a bit longer and watch my team plying their trade at the majestic Villa Park, rather than some souless bowl shoehorned in elsewhere.