Fans Advisory Board meeting

[Simon Page]

Heck really does remind me of Tom Fox, and until he gets something right, that thought is not going anyway. He's making what appear to be bad decisions and his communication for a so-called marketing expert is woeful.

They both remind me of just about every managerial suit I've ever encountered. The MO seems to be to smarmly corporatespeak where many have smarmed before, then claim their new waffle is not a total reversal of what they gushed five seconds ago, but rather a bright new dawn based on the genius of their blue sky brilliance.

I think the only real qualification - beyond grabbing the right coattails - is an inability to feel embarrassed.

[pablo_picasso]

Heck really does remind me of Tom Fox, and until he gets something right, that thought is not going anyway. He's making what appear to be bad decisions and his communication for a so-called marketing expert is woeful.

I think the biggest problem for me isn't so much the ham fisted "bull in a china shop" way of dealing with questions that nobody has asked, although that is irritating as fuck, but its his complete & utter lack of respect, which borders on contempt, that he shows to the fans as he lies his way through problem after problem. 

41 year anniversary?

My arse...

[VillaTim]

was anything mentioned about away ticket allocations and the stranglehold on tickets by what has become a closed shop group. I was under the impression the club were reviewing this area

[Rigadon]

Heck really does remind me of Tom Fox, and until he gets something right, that thought is not going anyway. He's making what appear to be bad decisions and his communication for a so-called marketing expert is woeful.

They both remind me of just about every managerial suit I've ever encountered. The MO seems to be to smarmly corporatespeak where many have smarmed before, then claim their new waffle is not a total reversal of what they gushed five seconds ago, but rather a bright new dawn based on the genius of their blue sky brilliance.

I think the only real qualification - beyond grabbing the right coattails - is an inability to feel embarrassed.

Yep.  The superpower that most 'executives' have, is a brass neck that C3P0 would be proud of. 

[kippaxvilla2]

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2023/12/28/aston-villa-fans-contact-fa-over-latest-badge-redesign/

[Villan82]

Good to see some pushback against Heck who has acted like an autocrat since day one.  It was alarming when he binned our new badge in the summer and lied through his teeth describing it as a one season homage to 1982 in the 41st year anniversary and a season after already did the 40th celebration.

[pauliewalnuts]

Also, basically saying “sorry chaps, you can’t have a new stand AND new signings” in the week we announce a new infrastructure investment partner who you’d imagine were brought in to provide funding for stuff like new stands, is treating everybody like idiots.

I think this is absolutely spot on. As is the treating us like idiots bit.

If I had to guess, these guys are here, as the club said to invest in infrastructure (remember, the club does not own the ground, in legal terms, it is owned by another company NSWE set up, which is probably how they've structured the 'AVFC remains under 100% control of Wes and Nas' part), and the reason we're getting this half-hearted, add a few thousand seats compromise is because they're investing in building a new stadium - whether that be on the current site or elsewhere - and, given that, they can't justify spunking over 100m on a stand which will be demolished in 5 years.

And given then above, they have decided they don't want to tell the fanbase this yet, as it'll create a huge amount of noise, so they've opted for obfuscation and nonsense.

[Percy McCarthy]

Also, basically saying “sorry chaps, you can’t have a new stand AND new signings” in the week we announce a new infrastructure investment partner who you’d imagine were brought in to provide funding for stuff like new stands, is treating everybody like idiots.

I think this is absolutely spot on. As is the treating us like idiots bit.

If I had to guess, these guys are here, as the club said to invest in infrastructure (remember, the club does not own the ground, in legal terms, it is owned by another company NSWE set up, which is probably how they've structured the 'AVFC remains under 100% control of Wes and Nas' part), and the reason we're getting this half-hearted, add a few thousand seats compromise is because they're investing in building a new stadium - whether that be on the current site or elsewhere - and, given that, they can't justify spunking over 100m on a stand which will be demolished in 5 years.

And given then above, they have decided they don't want to tell the fanbase this yet, as it'll create a huge amount of noise, so they've opted for obfuscation and nonsense.

If you look back at it paulie, they said AVFC remains 100% under V sports control. These Comcast guys have bought into V sports. So basically they are our new co-owners.

“ V Sports S.C.S. (“V Sports”), a joint venture of Nassef Sawiris and Wesley Edens and the owner of Aston Villa FC Limited and Aston Villa Women’s Football Club Limited (together, “AVFC” or the “Club”), is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Atairos to become a partner in V Sports. V Sports will continue to own 100% of AVFC post-closing of the transaction and will continue to have full control of all decisions at AVFC.”

[Risso]

Exactly right Perce. V Sports owns 100% of Aston Villa, it's just that the Comcast company now own a percentage of V Sports, so indirectly own the same percentage of Villa.

[Percy McCarthy]

Exactly right Perce. V Sports owns 100% of Aston Villa, it's just that the Comcast company now own a percentage of V Sports, so indirectly own the same percentage of Villa.

We must have the richest non-nation state owners in the PL.

[jon collett]

And given then above, they have decided they don't want to tell the fanbase this yet, as it'll create a huge amount of noise, so they've opted for obfuscation and nonsense.

This wouldn’t be so bad but I fear the real answer is worse and Heck’s only personal targets are financial!

[Risso]

And given then above, they have decided they don't want to tell the fanbase this yet, as it'll create a huge amount of noise, so they've opted for obfuscation and nonsense.

This wouldn’t be so bad but I fear the real answer is worse and Heck’s only personal targets are financial!

That's my feeling too Jon. I don't think they're looking at a new site, as that's a ten year plan, and if they don't want to knock down the North Stand because excuses, they're certainly not going to want to knock the whole lot down and start again. I think the plan for the medium term is to squeeze a few more seats in, increase the hospitality offering where possible then rinse everybody with price rises until the pips squeak.

As an example, I'm fully expecting the Holte car park to be not used as car parking next season. We'll probably get shifted to that Y International place and they'll put a big marquee up as another "enhanced" offering in the car park.

[pauliewalnuts]

Exactly right Perce. V Sports owns 100% of Aston Villa, it's just that the Comcast company now own a percentage of V Sports, so indirectly own the same percentage of Villa.

I wonder, as per the OS the Aitairos investment "will primarily be used to fund growth and infrastructure investments" - what does that mean if it isn't ground improvement? Which infrastructure? There's no MLS franchise happening, and other than us, it's Vittoria Guimaraes and that Egyptian club and that's about it, surely?

[tomd2103]

What do the Philly 76ers fans / media think of his time there?

New York Red Bulls weren't keen:

https://archive.nytimes.com/goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/red-bulls-ax-top-executive/

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.onceametro.com/platform/amp/2012/4/20/2962705/chris-heck-cant-do-nothin-right

https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/red-bulls-fire-director-of-business-operations-chris-heck.1965327/

[VinnieChase84]

Can anyone whose actually seen the badge that was presented describe what it’s like?