Tipping points

[Brend'Watkins]

yes benevolent.
You may not agree, but the logic is sound, is it not. If the stadium is full then the pricing to maximise revenue is not unreasonable.
The club is not a charity after all.

For short term commercial gain maybe so. The club relies on its supporters or, as they prefer to see us- customers. The logic to all this is short termism for Heck’s personal gain. He doesn’t give a fuck about loyalty, it doesn’t enter his mind with his aims. He has a target to reach and is trying to do so by the easiest route possible. There are other routes but that will take greater effort and time.

[DC1874]

Sound familiar?

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

[Rudy Can't Fail]

yes benevolent.
You may not agree, but the logic is sound, is it not. If the stadium is full then the pricing to maximise revenue is not unreasonable.
The club is not a charity after all.

That's a very short term view. Let's look at the facts, a key part of Heck's or any company's Sales & Marketing Strategy will include separate Acquisition and Retention strategies. Right now all I can see is Heck pushing hard on acquisition of new fans/customers but nothing, zero on retention of existing fans.

'Retention marketing is a strategy focused on engaging existing customers to increase their lifetime value and encourage repeat business'. Not seeing much of that are we? Thus the tipping point.

[Chip Butty 111]

[AV82EC]

Very well written piece by the author and he strikes the night note of constructive criticism not outright insults.

Tomorrow night isn’t a sell out but there are only limited options left in Hospitality (abt 140 tickets the last time I looked) and GA and GA+ are both sold out.

Which in a way proves heck's pricing was correct doesn't it? If you consider his parameter is to maximise Villa's revenues and not to run a benevolent business there to reward loyal fans.

I’m sorry lovejoy but if you thought my facts were trying to justify Heck’s pricing strategy for the CL games you’d be very much mistaken. His blunderbus approach rather than a nuanced strategy trying to take his existing customers with him whilst attracting some high rollers into his Hospitality offerings imv is short sighted in the extreme. He may get away with it this year due to the novelty and it’s been so long factor but that’s still a step too far for some of our less wealthy fans and also people who feel they’re being taken advantage of.

I will be intrigued to see how Bologna sales go over the next 3 weeks in the lead up to the game as it’s been a far from inauspicious take up so far though that has changed a bit today as there are definitely less tickets available compared to a few days ago.

[nick harper]

Sound familiar?

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

I’m always amazed how executives seem to walk into comparable or better jobs off the back of being sacked for such abject failure. Having clear objectives and failing to carry your audience or customers with you is unforgivable.

Either Edens and Sawaris didn’t do any due diligence (pretty unlikely) or they chose a disrupter to seriously shake things up within the club and with the fan base. Ultimately it won’t end well.

[lovejoy]

No I wasn't trying to use your facts for justification or even say I agree with what he's doing. My point was that we look at this through a supporters perspective not a commercial executives. Also i think he should/will reduce prices to get the ground filled for future matches.

[olaftab]

When you are nearly 2000 short of capacity against a local rival on a Saturday afternoon 3PM kick off you should know you are doing something wrong.
In CL we are still not "sold out" against Bayern just about 24 hours before kick off and at current prices we will not sell out against Bologna and Juve. Celtic could be a full house but that as it's the last match also depends on position in the League for both clubs

[AV82EC]

When you are nearly 2000 short of capacity against a local rival on a Saturday afternoon 3PM kick off you should know you are doing something wrong.
In CL we are still not "sold out" against Bayern just about 24 hours before kick off and at current prices we will not sell out against Bologna and Juve. Celtic could be a full house but that as it's the last match also depends on position in the League for both clubs

Has that Wolves attendance figure been corroborated yet?

Also Bayern is a sell out for GA and GA+ with only about 70 Hospitality tickets available so using that as proof of anything I don't think helps us. The proof of his pricing strategy will be in full glare, as Pat Mustard has pointed out, for Bournemouth, Bologna and other games such as Brentford in early December.  Until then I'd say the jury is out on how "successful" its been.

[Paul.S]

I very much doubt that supporters of any club in this country are being treated like we are.
Paying more and being treated like idiots who don’t mind queuing and missing some of the game, who don’t mind paddling in p**s, who don’t mind being moved from their seats, who don’t mind cutting themselves on those seats and who don’t mind having some of the benefits of being a season ticket holder eroded.
Those people who have been there for decades no matter what are being thanked by getting the chance to buy a league cup ticket for the poultry £25 instead of nothing as a thank you.
Well I do mind and so much that come the date to renew in the spring/summer of 2025 I will for the first time in decades be saying “no thanks.” This should be the most exciting time since 82, and for some, the most exciting times ever since going to Villa Park. I’m going out of loyalty, to support the superb coach and players we have but I wish the person who takes my ticket all the best and hope you have the deepest of pockets.

UTV

[The Edge]

I very much doubt that supporters of any club in this country are being treated like we are.
Paying more and being treated like idiots who don’t mind queuing and missing some of the game, who don’t mind paddling in p**s, who don’t mind being moved from their seats, who don’t mind cutting themselves on those seats and who don’t mind having some of the benefits of being a season ticket holder eroded.
Those people who have been there for decades no matter what are being thanked by getting the chance to buy a league cup ticket for the poultry £25 instead of nothing as a thank you.
Well I do mind and so much that come the date to renew in the spring/summer of 2025 I will for the first time in decades be saying “no thanks.” This should be the most exciting time since 82, and for some, the most exciting times ever since going to Villa Park. I’m going out of loyalty, to support the superb coach and players we have but I wish the person who takes my ticket all the best and hope you have the deepest of pockets.

UTV

Great post. Spot on mate.

[Skerra]

Great piece of writing.
I’m another 1 that’s been priced out of the CL matches, albeit that am and have been a season ticket holder for years. Doubt I’ll be able to continue come next season though.
If I do have to give it up, I will not return as I honestly think Heck doesn’t want us. He’ll be gone soon enough but, not soon enough for me as I feel completely disconnected with the Club just now. Really hope we don’t end up sliding down the table, this season, as then the chickens will come home to roost.

[Skerra]

I very much doubt that supporters of any club in this country are being treated like we are.
Paying more and being treated like idiots who don’t mind queuing and missing some of the game, who don’t mind paddling in p**s, who don’t mind being moved from their seats, who don’t mind cutting themselves on those seats and who don’t mind having some of the benefits of being a season ticket holder eroded.
Those people who have been there for decades no matter what are being thanked by getting the chance to buy a league cup ticket for the poultry £25 instead of nothing as a thank you.
Well I do mind and so much that come the date to renew in the spring/summer of 2025 I will for the first time in decades be saying “no thanks.” This should be the most exciting time since 82, and for some, the most exciting times ever since going to Villa Park. I’m going out of loyalty, to support the superb coach and players we have but I wish the person who takes my ticket all the best and hope you have the deepest of pockets.

UTV

[Skerra]

I very much doubt that supporters of any club in this country are being treated like we are.
Paying more and being treated like idiots who don’t mind queuing and missing some of the game, who don’t mind paddling in p**s, who don’t mind being moved from their seats, who don’t mind cutting themselves on those seats and who don’t mind having some of the benefits of being a season ticket holder eroded.
Those people who have been there for decades no matter what are being thanked by getting the chance to buy a league cup ticket for the poultry £25 instead of nothing as a thank you.
Well I do mind and so much that come the date to renew in the spring/summer of 2025 I will for the first time in decades be saying “no thanks.” This should be the most exciting time since 82, and for some, the most exciting times ever since going to Villa Park. I’m going out of loyalty, to support the superb coach and players we have but I wish the person who takes my ticket all the best and hope you have the deepest of pockets.

UTV

same as me then Paul and, the way we fans are being treated at the moment, I think they’ll be many more joining us next season.

[adrenachrome]

I very much doubt that supporters of any club in this country are being treated like we are.
Paying more and being treated like idiots who don’t mind queuing and missing some of the game, who don’t mind paddling in p**s, who don’t mind being moved from their seats, who don’t mind cutting themselves on those seats and who don’t mind having some of the benefits of being a season ticket holder eroded.
Those people who have been there for decades no matter what are being thanked by getting the chance to buy a league cup ticket for the poultry £25 instead of nothing as a thank you.
Well I do mind and so much that come the date to renew in the spring/summer of 2025 I will for the first time in decades be saying “no thanks.” This should be the most exciting time since 82, and for some, the most exciting times ever since going to Villa Park. I’m going out of loyalty, to support the superb coach and players we have but I wish the person who takes my ticket all the best and hope you have the deepest of pockets.

UTV

Well said, and I couldn't agree more.

I always knew the Lanyard and the Velvet Rope would lead to the descent into The Cells and The Lower Grounds.

Range Rovers from the Cotswolds will soon be much in evidence.

Half time entertainment: shooting harmless animals on the pitch from the upper Doug and Trinity.

Only joking, obvs.