Villa Park has an atmosphere problem and it’s all of Aston Villa’s own making
Aston Villa used to be famed for the atmosphere at Villa Park, but right now it’s becoming embarrassing.
Throughout the days of Alex McLeish, Paul Lambert and Co., there was little for the B6 faithful to cheer about, and the relationship between fans and players grew toxic.
That took a turn in the Championship, results became increasingly positive, and the blasting out of Don’t Look Back in Anger still gives me goosebumps.
That continued into the Premier League and beyond, with fans leaving the likes of PSG and Bayern Munich running scared.
There is now very little positive to say about the atmosphere, and Villa only have themselves to blame for what they’ve caused.
What has happened to the atmosphere at Villa Park?
I’ve had a season ticket since 2013, and this is arguably the flattest atmosphere I’ve felt in a long time, especially given that over 43,000 people were in attendance on Saturday.
I understand that the performance was terrible against Leeds, but for the first Saturday 3pm kick off in over a year, the atmosphere was lacklustre.
Villa Park was loud ahead of kick off and felt as if it was going to be an afternoon to remember, but it just got quieter and quieter.
The most damning thing is that Leeds fans were left surprised by how quiet it was in B6 compared to years gone by, with many describing it as a library.
That sums up the feelings of regular matchgoers at Villa Park, who can’t quite believe what is going on, especially considering the Villans are sitting third in the Premier League.
Certain sections of the ground don’t want to sing, and that is resulting in the Holte End’s chants ebbing out more quickly than usual.
There are multiple reasons for that, and the blame ultimately has to be placed on Villa’s doorstep after years of measures that have severely damaged the atmosphere.
Aston Villa can blame themselves for the atmosphere problem
The world of football finance is a difficult one to understand these days, but the gist is that revenue needs to step up if Villa want to spend.
That has seen many stand up for the Villans and suggest that the crazy ticket prices are justified to help improve revenue in B6.
I’m fed up with that argument, because charging an average of £76 for a game against relegation-threatened Leeds is just not ok.
| Category 3 | 1888 | Zone 1 | Zone 2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 |
| Adult | £92 | £82 | £77 | £71 | £58 |
| Over 66 | £92 | £82 | £58 | £54 | £44 |
| Armed Forces | £92 | £82 | £61 | £57 | £46 |
| Under 21 | £92 | £82 | £54.50 | £50.50 | £41.50 |
| Under 18 | £92 | £82 | £30 | £29 | £28 |
| Under 14 | £92 | £82 | £22 | £20 | £16.50 |
Those tickets could have been priced at even half that amount, and it would have made little to no difference in Villa’s revenue.
That is largely due to the massive array of hospitality options that are available at Villa Park, which can cost up to £15,000 for a season ticket.
These prices in themselves are playing a massive part in the atmosphere problem, but it is the difference in clientele that is.
Aston Villa ticket prices and hospitality forcing out true fans
A family member recently had the opportunity to watch Villa’s clash from Brighton from hospitality, with tickets to The Oak Room.
“Offering a sophisticated matchday experience, The Oak Room is the pinnacle of luxury at Villa Park.“
That is how Villa describe that level of hospitality, but from their experience, the standout takeaways were that “it wasn’t about the football” and that “it was more like the theatre“.
They loved their time in The Oak Room and were blown away by the food, drinks and service, but were surprised by how little anyone else seemed to care about the game they were there to watch.
A majority of those inside the hospitality suite didn’t come out to their seats for the second half, leaving a portion of the stadium empty for at least 45 minutes.
That only accounts for a small area of the ground, but if that sort of attitude is echoed elsewhere, the atmosphere is going to take a hit.
Add to the fact that these seats could be taken up by other fans, who have now been priced out by the club, and you realise just how poor things are in B6 right now.
Aston Villa’s greed is ultimately draining the life out of Villa Park, and until they learn the errors of their ways, it will only get worse.
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