Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[SaddVillan]

This is a piece from The Guardian - John Crace is their political diarist and a lifelong (and genuine Spurs fan).

Does it chime?

"I can’t make Saturday’s derby game against West Ham and I am totally relaxed about it. Almost relieved. I have sold my ticket and can get on with other things. To my surprise, I have come to realise that I have never felt quite so out of love with the team I have supported since I was nine years old as I am now. In the past, there have been the odd dips, but nothing like this. It’s not even the results that have got to me. There have been plenty of times in the past 60 years when the team has been just this flakey. But now I’ve lapsed from anger and frustration into virtual indifference. When Spurs surrendered a two-goal lead at Brighton I really wasn’t that bothered. So what’s changed? Partly, it’s that I’m fed up with being treated as a revenue stream. One that the club could probably do without as I never buy anything from the shop or the food and drink concessions. I feel as if the owners care even less about results than I do. They aren’t interested in winning cups, just turning White Hart Lane into a corporate entertainment venue. A tourist destination."

[dave.woodhall]

This might be a sell out at St Andrew's , but not at Villa Park..

Fucking state of you.

Less of that if you don't mind.

[Brend'Watkins]

This is a piece from The Guardian - John Crace is their political diarist and a lifelong (and genuine Spurs fan).

Does it chime?

"I can’t make Saturday’s derby game against West Ham and I am totally relaxed about it. Almost relieved. I have sold my ticket and can get on with other things. To my surprise, I have come to realise that I have never felt quite so out of love with the team I have supported since I was nine years old as I am now. In the past, there have been the odd dips, but nothing like this. It’s not even the results that have got to me. There have been plenty of times in the past 60 years when the team has been just this flakey. But now I’ve lapsed from anger and frustration into virtual indifference. When Spurs surrendered a two-goal lead at Brighton I really wasn’t that bothered. So what’s changed? Partly, it’s that I’m fed up with being treated as a revenue stream. One that the club could probably do without as I never buy anything from the shop or the food and drink concessions. I feel as if the owners care even less about results than I do. They aren’t interested in winning cups, just turning White Hart Lane into a corporate entertainment venue. A tourist destination."

Doesn’t it just!  I’m not at that stage yet as I still care a lot. There is an empty feeling though and I do get the sense of “serves you right” when we fail to sell out.

[London Villan]

I think it was in the early Lerner days, when the club was described as a catering business that had a football team. This now seems to be the ambition of lots of clubs.

[Percy McCarthy]

^^ As I and others have pointed out, just falling short of selling out is the sweet spot for Heck that tells him he’s got the prices just about perfect. Demand outstripping supply is just lost revenue that tells him he should have charged more.

I do think they’ve missed a trick with the Palace cup game though. A little bit cheaper and many would have been tempted, especially with it being at half-term.

[ChicagoLion]

^^ As I and others have pointed out, just falling short of selling out is the sweet spot for Heck that tells him he’s got the prices just about perfect. Demand outstripping supply is just lost revenue that tells him he should have charged more.

I do think they’ve missed a trick with the Palace cup game though. A little bit cheaper and many would have been tempted, especially with it being at half-term.

You are right, but I am not sure that it works long term. The problem is when people are being gouged is that they really start to think about the next time.
It defeats the basic customer revenue principals - attract more, sell them more and  hold on to them for longer.

[Pat Mustard]

^^ As I and others have pointed out, just falling short of selling out is the sweet spot for Heck that tells him he’s got the prices just about perfect. Demand outstripping supply is just lost revenue that tells him he should have charged more.

I do think they’ve missed a trick with the Palace cup game though. A little bit cheaper and many would have been tempted, especially with it being at half-term.

You are right, but I am not sure that it works long term. The problem is when people are being gouged is that they really start to think about the next time.
It defeats the basic customer revenue principals - attract more, sell them more and  hold on to them for longer.

It’s a dangerous game that has got the potential to backfire badly. There are lots of people who have been on a knife edge financially over the last years, yet Villa have managed to maintain near constant sell outs. The prices this year have been a massive fuck you to everyone and those who have decided it is too much may well never come back as regulars.

The above might be fine if these supporters were being replaced. The fact that there are still 1k+ tickets left for a Champions League game in 4 days time suggests they won’t be.

[Chip Butty 111]

This might be a sell out at St Andrew's , but not at Villa Park..

Fucking state of you.

Less of that if you don't mind.

....we've all had a bad day at school/work/ the wife's bumped the car etc...
                   Would have been nice to have had some Latin to decipher though..
                    ....anyway,  no drama here..

[Chip Butty 111]

^^ As I and others have pointed out, just falling short of selling out is the sweet spot for Heck that tells him he’s got the prices just about perfect. Demand outstripping supply is just lost revenue that tells him he should have charged more.

I do think they’ve missed a trick with the Palace cup game though. A little bit cheaper and many would have been tempted, especially with it being at half-term.

You are right, but I am not sure that it works long term. The problem is when people are being gouged is that they really start to think about the next time.
It defeats the basic customer revenue principals - attract more, sell them more and  hold on to them for longer.

It’s a dangerous game that has got the potential to backfire badly. There are lots of people who have been on a knife edge financially over the last years, yet Villa have managed to maintain near constant sell outs. The prices this year have been a massive fuck you to everyone and those who have decided it is too much may well never come back as regulars.

The above might be fine if these supporters were being replaced. The fact that there are still 1k+ tickets left for a Champions League game in 4 days time suggests they won’t be.

Spot on again Pat...

[Louzie0]

I hope you’re right, I’ve just Guessed The Crowd.

[Drummond]

I would describe a sell out as anyone daft enough to part with the cash that this idiot is demanding.









Anyone got any spares?

Yep

[Ads]

This might be a sell out at St Andrew's , but not at Villa Park..

Fucking state of you.

Less of that if you don't mind.

....we've all had a bad day at school/work/ the wife's bumped the car etc...
                   Would have been nice to have had some Latin to decipher though..
                    ....anyway,  no drama here..

Mea culpa

[Chip Butty 111]

This might be a sell out at St Andrew's , but not at Villa Park..

Fucking state of you.

Less of that if you don't mind.

....we've all had a bad day at school/work/ the wife's bumped the car etc...
                   Would have been nice to have had some Latin to decipher though..
                    ....anyway,  no drama here..

Mea culpa

accepted...bonum vesperum

[Percy McCarthy]

^^ As I and others have pointed out, just falling short of selling out is the sweet spot for Heck that tells him he’s got the prices just about perfect. Demand outstripping supply is just lost revenue that tells him he should have charged more.

I do think they’ve missed a trick with the Palace cup game though. A little bit cheaper and many would have been tempted, especially with it being at half-term.

You are right, but I am not sure that it works long term. The problem is when people are being gouged is that they really start to think about the next time.
It defeats the basic customer revenue principals - attract more, sell them more and  hold on to them for longer.

It’s a dangerous game that has got the potential to backfire badly. There are lots of people who have been on a knife edge financially over the last years, yet Villa have managed to maintain near constant sell outs. The prices this year have been a massive fuck you to everyone and those who have decided it is too much may well never come back as regulars.

The above might be fine if these supporters were being replaced. The fact that there are still 1k+ tickets left for a Champions League game in 4 days time suggests they won’t be.

And then the prices will drop. They’ve got 42,000 units to sell and will price them at a level where they’ll think they’ll sell all or nearly all of them.

I mean, that CL draw for us this year, I don’t think Heck could have hoped for better. I posted as soon as it was made he’d be rubbing his hands together. Does anyone seriously think that if you flipped our home and away games we’d be paying 90 quid?

[Chip Butty 111]

^^ As I and others have pointed out, just falling short of selling out is the sweet spot for Heck that tells him he’s got the prices just about perfect. Demand outstripping supply is just lost revenue that tells him he should have charged more.

I do think they’ve missed a trick with the Palace cup game though. A little bit cheaper and many would have been tempted, especially with it being at half-term.

You are right, but I am not sure that it works long term. The problem is when people are being gouged is that they really start to think about the next time.
It defeats the basic customer revenue principals - attract more, sell them more and  hold on to them for longer.

It’s a dangerous game that has got the potential to backfire badly. There are lots of people who have been on a knife edge financially over the last years, yet Villa have managed to maintain near constant sell outs. The prices this year have been a massive fuck you to everyone and those who have decided it is too much may well never come back as regulars.

The above might be fine if these supporters were being replaced. The fact that there are still 1k+ tickets left for a Champions League game in 4 days time suggests they won’t be.

And then the prices will drop. They’ve got 42,000 units to sell and will price them at a level where they’ll think they’ll sell all or nearly all of them.

I mean, that CL draw for us this year, I don’t think Heck could have hoped for better. I posted as soon as it was made he’d be rubbing his hands together. Does anyone seriously think that if you flipped our home and away games we’d be paying 90 quid?

I still think he'd have priced it at £90, but there'd have been less takers I guess