Outside of Villa Park...

[Mic09]

Afternoon!

I had a pleasure to go to the Man Citeh vs Roma game last week. The game itself was pretty cool as I never went to Champions League match before, but as we all know by now the support was dreadful. I can't even describe the lack of the atmosphere that was surrounding me. Well, that's what I thought as soon as I walked into Etihad. Before that though...

...I thought I was in the football Mecca. The outside facilities were amazing; the great club shop, the bars, the atmosphere. They had a live band playing, there were massive screens next to lovely bars so that all the fans could get a few bevs. It was as if the game was one part of the experiance. The build up was an experiance in itself. Even before the game started, there were vidoes about 'blue moon rising' and all that crap; but it was a great 'show'.

Then I thought about how we miss this at VP. When I go to VP I go to see a football game, and thats about it. There is no entertainment, and lets face it, when we lose at home on regular basis I am very suprised we still manage to get a 40k crowd once in a while.

And then I realised how important it is to get the North Stand re-build ASAP. The parking lot behind it could be used for a Club Museum, new shop, great bars and massive screens. That would attract more families coming to see us, as it would no longer simply be 'a game'. It would be an experiance.

This links to what some of us have been noticing but I never really got this until the Man City V Roma game. Our potential.

If we improved the infrastructure, we could be MASSIVE. Why does our club do so little to improve it's standing with the fans? Why can't we dig in into this mine of oppurtunity, and make VP a 'theatre' where whole families can go and enjoy themselves before and after the show?

If we can't get things right on the pitch, why can't we do this outside of it? Obviously investment is the answer... Do you think Tom Fox realises this problem? Will the new owner look into it?

[thabucks]

Always thought the space inbetween the Holte Hotel & Holte End should be used as a fans square as opposed to a car park. Sames goes for behind the North Stand. I'm guessing it's low on Tom Fox's list of Things To Do though.

 

I've been described the moth balled plans for Villa Park drawn up a few years ago by someone who has seem them. The plan was incorporate a museum, ticket office, club shop etc similar to Chelsea's hotel development into the back of the stand freeing up the space behind the stand for a fan zone. The new North Stand would only partially link up with the Trinity Road Stand via the lower tier. The plans as described were for a stand alone stand with gaps between the upper tiers to keep Villa Parks identitiy as opposed to wrap around.

 

Wasted opportunites should be our motto

[villa4europe]

sounds similar to what hamburg had outside their ground (i think, i'd lost vision in one eye by that point...) they had loads going on, including a huge beer tent / german food stall, pretty much like the brum german market outside the ground

 

it might only be worth pennies, it might piss people off, but id like to think over the years villa have looked at the number of food concessions outside VP and explored the idea of tapping in to that, id guess that get more business than the food inside

 

as for the club museum, i think its ridiculous that we didnt go for the football league museum when it left preston, i dont think the club shop is that bad, the bars are the same as the food, especially seeing as so many of them around the ground are closing down the club has to look in to tapping in to it, they cant do better than the tavern's poor opening, but do they want the hassle?

[Ads]

I've never noticed the outside facilities at Citeh, but then I drink in town and walk past Mary D's, which looks like a small prison, and into the away end.

 

I am not interested in seeing live bands or outside bars selling me official beers at £4.50 a go or any of that other half and half scraf sounding, post-1992 shite.

[ozvillafan]

I've never noticed the outside facilities at Citeh, but then I drink in town and walk past Mary D's, which looks like a small prison, and into the away end.

 

I am not interested in seeing live bands or outside bars selling me official beers at £4.50 a go or any of that other half and half scraf sounding, post-1992 shite.

 

Which is more than fine. But I'd wager there would be families that would love it. You don't have to go just because it's there.

[Ads]

I'd rather the Villa not pander to the one game, half and half scarf, kodak snapping tourist.

 

I cannot see how any football fan can walk up to Old Trafford for example and not be sickened by the number of Tarquin tourists milling about, taking photos and buying lunch boxes and other assorted tat from the "mega store". Arsenal are another club packed full of Fever Pitch Nick Hornby types. Chelsea the embodiment of the Tarquin, while half of Oslo have season tickets at Anfield.

 

Modern football is shite and the money spun out of the Johnny Come Lately's who infest "Premier League" games is what gives the likes of Scudamore the bear cheek to suggest a 39th game or as we've seen again today, one of the regular 38 league games played abroad.

 

We don't need the tourists money, it won't make a jot of difference. The Misnomer League and the ladder pulling exercise of the FFP that has followed it has closed the shop.

[HanoiVillan]

Well, the money would hardly do any harm, would it?

[Stevo985]

I'd rather the Villa not pander to the one game, half and half scarf, kodak snapping tourist.

I cannot see how any football fan can walk up to Old Trafford for example and not be sickened by the number of Tarquin tourists milling about, taking photos and buying lunch boxes and other assorted tat from the "mega store". Arsenal are another club packed full of Fever Pitch Nick Hornby types. Chelsea the embodiment of the Tarquin, while half of Oslo have season tickets at Anfield.

Modern football is shite and the money spun out of the Johnny Come Lately's who infest "Premier League" games is what gives the likes of Scudamore the bear cheek to suggest a 39th game or as we've seen again today, one of the regular 38 league games played abroad.

We don't need the tourists money, it won't make a jot of difference. The Misnomer League and the ladder pulling exercise of the FFP that has followed it has closed the shop.

http://youtu.be/3CeNJGMly28

[VillaChris]

Interesting thread.

 

I went to the Man. City Chelsea cup game last season and a City fan who came with us was telling me about this so walked past it. There had an ex player doing a Q&A but it was pissing down so I just wanted to get inside the ground.

 

It's a bit similar to when you go and watch Cricket at Edgbaston, there's always plenty of fan interaction happening inside the grounds.

 

In fairness the club do stuff in the pavillion on Witton Lane don't they certainly for the family games but obviously inside an enclosed building won't be seen by everyone.

 

It helps City are in the champions league to build up that big matchday feeling around the ground. It would be a bit more difficult us doing something like that before Leyton Orient in the cup!

[The Fun Factory]

Its never going to happen. Why bother spending millions in improving the ground when you can get billions just from TV? It was ever going to have happened, it would have been in the early MON/Lerner years. Lerner spent a fortune on the Holte Pub and Suite and they are only used really for match days.  Remember when they tried to give us healthy food in the ground? Lasted about 6 months.  Us Villa fans just like turning up, having a pie and moan, and going away again in our cars.

 

If we moved to a new uber modern stadium then all this would be standard, but we are so set in our ways I doubt  this owner and any other would try to change it.

[Ads]

Well, the money would hardly do any harm, would it?

All that investment post 1992 and it's gone on bang average players. It won't do us any good.

[Ads]

I'd rather the Villa not pander to the one game, half and half scarf, kodak snapping tourist.

I cannot see how any football fan can walk up to Old Trafford for example and not be sickened by the number of Tarquin tourists milling about, taking photos and buying lunch boxes and other assorted tat from the "mega store". Arsenal are another club packed full of Fever Pitch Nick Hornby types. Chelsea the embodiment of the Tarquin, while half of Oslo have season tickets at Anfield.

Modern football is shite and the money spun out of the Johnny Come Lately's who infest "Premier League" games is what gives the likes of Scudamore the bear cheek to suggest a 39th game or as we've seen again today, one of the regular 38 league games played abroad.

We don't need the tourists money, it won't make a jot of difference. The Misnomer League and the ladder pulling exercise of the FFP that has followed it has closed the shop.

http://youtu.be/3CeNJGMly28

If you lived till you're a hundred you won't see the Villa win the league. You can post all the witty, but ultimately meaningless, YouTube videos you like, it it won't change the fact that a club as big as Aston Villa will never compete at the top table again. It will keep getting more expensive though, you can be sure of that.

[Stevo985]

My point was the game is changing and you either try to change with it, or you stick to the way you've always done things and get left behind.

 

We've already been left behind to a certain extent, and if we don't try new things to keep up with everyone else that gap will get bigger, and we'll fall further.

 

Is this outside the ground experience thing the answer? No, probably not.

But the attitude shown in your posts above is exactly the attitude that will see us slipping further down the leagues.

 

I wish the game wasn't changing. I wish it was the same as it was 20/30 years ago. But it's not. You either evolve with it and stay amongst the big boys or you slip away.

[The Fun Factory]

My point was the game is changing and you either try to change with it, or you stick to the way you've always done things and get left behind.

 

We've already been left behind to a certain extent, and if we don't try new things to keep up with everyone else that gap will get bigger, and we'll fall further.

 

Is this outside the ground experience thing the answer? No, probably not.

But the attitude shown in your posts above is exactly the attitude that will see us slipping further down the leagues.

 

I wish the game wasn't changing. I wish it was the same as it was 20/30 years ago. But it's not. You either evolve with it and stay amongst the big boys or you slip away.

Yeah we tried to evolve by Doug selling up to a billionaire. We were fed up of coming between 6th and 16th and not filling out Villa Park every other week. Oh....

Edited October 8, 2014 by The Fun Factory

[Ads]

You talk as if the solution is organic; you need a team backed by hydrocarbons of an oligarch or a sovereign wealth fund. The day trippers are the corrosive by product of that which gives clubs like Chelsea the ability to charge £55.00 a ticket for an away game or clubs like Arsenal who charge £1500 a season tickets, with support so gentrified they can't be bothered to turn up for every game.

The game was bought and willfuly sold on the lie of the Premier League, to aid the national team they said, but the likes of Edwards at Man United saw the money to be made. The Misnomer League delivered the fatal, if not final blow.

The game disappeared a long time ago. The Germans have some measure of it. You wouldn't be paying forty odd pounds to travel to a club of West Hams size that is for sure.

The game has gone. When you have Scudamore's ugly head raising this foreign game malarkey again, you know what utter contempt genuine supporters are held in. Season ticket holder? Your game against Crystal Palace has been moved to Hong Kong. Can't afford it? Tough, you don't count.

[The Fun Factory]

You talk as if the solution is organic; you need a team backed by hydrocarbons of an oligarch or a sovereign wealth fund. The day trippers are the corrosive by product of that which gives clubs like Chelsea the ability to charge £55.00 a ticket for an away game or clubs like Arsenal who charge £1500 a season tickets, with support so gentrified they can't be bothered to turn up for every game.

The game was bought and willfuly sold on the lie of the Premier League, to aid the national team they said, but the likes of Edwards at Man United saw the money to be made. The Misnomer League delivered the fatal, if not final blow.

The game disappeared a long time ago. The Germans have some measure of it. You wouldn't be paying forty odd pounds to travel to a club of West Hams size that is for sure.

The game has gone. When you have Scudamore's ugly head raising this foreign game malarkey again, you know what utter contempt genuine supporters are held in. Season ticket holder? Your game against Crystal Palace has been moved to Hong Kong. Can't afford it? Tough, you don't count.

Football is dead. And we have killed him.

[maqroll]

Speaking from a strictly selfish and foreign perspective, without the advent of the Premier League, I'd never have been exposed to the wonders of English club football. All we got back in 1992 was a 30 minute highlight show at 3AM that showed 2 week old results. But it was enough to hook me for life. 

 

It's a small world now, and has been since satellite/24hr cable TV and the internet. The appeal of English football was so strong, it took over the world. It's something to be proud of. But time marches on, the world is more interconnected than ever, so is it any wonder Man Utd and Real Madrid can sell out a 109,000 seat stadium in Michigan for a friendly? Or that Wembley regularly sells out for NFL games?

 

It's the way it is, for better or worse, and for what it's worth, I can see both sides of the argument. Success and trendiness can dilute authenticity. Here in Boston, Fenway Park used to be full of old timers with cigars and scorecards, rowdy drunks, and a general atmosphere of grittiness and menace. Now it's full of rich people who don't care about the result, but would rather take selfies and eat sushi in the concourse. And lighting a cigar will get you tossed. 

 

Things have been sanitized (sorry Tony).

[briny_ear]

I'd rather the Villa not pander to the one game, half and half scarf, kodak snapping tourist.

 

Don't you want us to have bigger crowds, then? Given what you say about FFP, any way to raise extra money is welcome, no?

 

Also, I would love the idea that tourists came to take photos of Villa Park. That would be very good.

[HanoiVillan]

You talk as if the solution is organic; you need a team backed by hydrocarbons of an oligarch or a sovereign wealth fund. The day trippers are the corrosive by product of that which gives clubs like Chelsea the ability to charge £55.00 a ticket for an away game or clubs like Arsenal who charge £1500 a season tickets, with support so gentrified they can't be bothered to turn up for every game.

The game was bought and willfuly sold on the lie of the Premier League, to aid the national team they said, but the likes of Edwards at Man United saw the money to be made. The Misnomer League delivered the fatal, if not final blow.

The game disappeared a long time ago. The Germans have some measure of it. You wouldn't be paying forty odd pounds to travel to a club of West Hams size that is for sure.

The game has gone. When you have Scudamore's ugly head raising this foreign game malarkey again, you know what utter contempt genuine supporters are held in. Season ticket holder? Your game against Crystal Palace has been moved to Hong Kong. Can't afford it? Tough, you don't count.

 

I won't disagree with everything you say, because deep within the moaning are some uncomfortable truths, but really 'the existence of rich footballer supporters in London' and 'a foreign game each season' have nothing to do with the benefits or otherwise of making Villa Park a better matchday experience outside the ground. 

Edited October 9, 2014 by HanoiVillan

[Stevo985]

My point was the game is changing and you either try to change with it, or you stick to the way you've always done things and get left behind.

We've already been left behind to a certain extent, and if we don't try new things to keep up with everyone else that gap will get bigger, and we'll fall further.

Is this outside the ground experience thing the answer? No, probably not.

But the attitude shown in your posts above is exactly the attitude that will see us slipping further down the leagues.

I wish the game wasn't changing. I wish it was the same as it was 20/30 years ago. But it's not. You either evolve with it and stay amongst the big boys or you slip away.

Yeah we tried to evolve by Doug selling up to a billionaire. We were fed up of coming between 6th and 16th and not filling out Villa Park every other week. Oh....

This is am incredibly weak comeback. If anything it backs up what I was saying.

We sold the club and we're still standing still. Its not enough.

With FFP the only way a club like us has any sort of chance is by raising revenue.

Your (and ads) attitude seems to be "it probably won't work so why bother trying?"

Maybe you're right, it won't work. But I'd rather see the club doing things to try and raise revenue rather than sitting back and waiting to be relegated.