Fan Advisory Board

[Nev]

And that's that then. It's obvious the direction the Club is going off the field with little or no attempt to accommodate anyone other than the hospitality market.

As I have said before, that ticking clock counting down my regular visits to Villa Park is becoming louder and louder.

[London Villan]

Doesn't sound positive for the "normal" fan experience.

[pauliewalnuts]

The only minutes I've seen are from Scott on VT, about halfway down this page: https://www.villatalk.com/topic/24408-fans-advisory-board-meeting-16th-september/page/8/

Sounds like things are getting a bit fractious, understandably.

Heck sounds like an arse, there.

I know it's only one report, one person's interpretation, but in general it reads pretty even handedly.

Quite clear they're all about squeezing every last penny out of us.

[London Villan]

It's fine to offer that sort of hospitality option, but it can't be at the expense of, or instead of improving facilities around the grounds for all fans. Imagine going to a theatre (equivalent prices) and experiencing some of the facilities and services we have to put up with.

With the new characters involved, I do wonder if there is any appreciation that not that so long ago 20% of the ground was shut and sold hospitality seats numbered a few hundred.

[LeeB]

As I said I'm fine with it, they can crack on but they won't get another penny from me outside the ticket cost, and I will cling onto that ticket just so they cannot maximise revenue from it out of pure spite.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's fine to offer that sort of hospitality option, but it can't be at the expense of, or instead of improving facilities around the grounds for all fans. Imagine going to a theatre (equivalent prices) and experiencing some of the facilities and services we have to put up with.

I agree entirely re the second sentence.

re the first, it looks to me more and more like that is exactly what is happening.

Someone on the VillaTalk thread talked about having heard that Liverpool make so much out of 1-2 games a season fans, and how much other top clubs charge for similar, which is all good and fair enough for the club to have that in their minds, but there's one big fucking difference here - Liverpool are successful, have won leagues and Champions Leagues in recent years, and haven't spent, until recently, an entire decade being absolutely shit, out of the top flight and with part of their ground closed off because nobody wanted to go to the matches.

This is all a bit too chicken - egg for my liking.

[Chris Smith]

It gives the impression of being taken for granted unless you’re willing to pay substantially above the already expensive season ticket cost. It just doesn’t feel right.

[Des Little]

As I said I'm fine with it, they can crack on but they won't get another penny from me outside the ticket cost, and I will cling onto that ticket just so they cannot maximise revenue from it out of pure spite.

I'm of that mind, but I fully expect they'll just turn up the heat on ST prices until people bail out

[dave.woodhall]

Sorry for not writing it up sooner. There were no minutes taken and the release of what happened was as half-cock as the meeting itself. As Scott put it, there was no real agenda - Heck gave us his vision of competing with the big boys, Hatton introduced himself. They know current facilities aren't good enough, they know transport is appaling and they know corporate is the way forward. You can be sure that one of these three points will be their top priority. 

[jon collett]

Fair play to those who attend. It must be soul destroying. These meetings have always seemed utterly pointless.

Clearly never a two way conversation. More send than receive.

Oh for the days of the old AGMs.

[astonvilla82]

As I said I'm fine with it, they can crack on but they won't get another penny from me outside the ticket cost, and I will cling onto that ticket just so they cannot maximise revenue from it out of pure spite.

Plus if I want to F off before the final whistle because of transport problems I will,

[VillaTim]

It's fine to offer that sort of hospitality option, but it can't be at the expense of, or instead of improving facilities around the grounds for all fans. Imagine going to a theatre (equivalent prices) and experiencing some of the facilities and services we have to put up with.

I agree entirely re the second sentence.

re the first, it looks to me more and more like that is exactly what is happening.

Someone on the VillaTalk thread talked about having heard that Liverpool make so much out of 1-2 games a season fans, and how much other top clubs charge for similar, which is all good and fair enough for the club to have that in their minds, but there's one big fucking difference here - Liverpool are successful, have won leagues and Champions Leagues in recent years, and haven't spent, until recently, an entire decade being absolutely shit, out of the top flight and with part of their ground closed off because nobody wanted to go to the matches.

This is all a bit too chicken - egg for my liking.

spot on. We are being charged for the price of success and we haven't actually won anything

[LeeB]

The 'corpoarte hospitality' thing is an absolute abomination too, in the wider society sense. It exists as a way to spunk on piss ups money instead of paying tax, fundamentally.

[PeterWithe]

The current transport situation cant cope at the moment, Public Transport is inadequate and all parking spaces for miles around are already full. If they then use the current hundreds of on-site spaces for corporate tents, where do the cars go?

[VillaTim]

The 'corpoarte hospitality' thing is an absolute abomination too, in the wider society sense. It exists as a way to spunk on piss ups money instead of paying tax, fundamentally.

pay the HMRC or drink luke warm Carling. Hmmmm