BirminghamLive talks to Aston Villa Chief Operations Officer Ben Hatton at Villa Park's Guns N' Roses concert to discuss the club's vision to make Villa Park a major entertainments venue for the City to be proud of
Guns N' Roses and Black Sabbath are the highlights of this summer's concerts at Villa Park
Guns N' Roses and Black Sabbath are the highlights of this summer's concerts at Villa Park
When Black Sabbath take to the stage at Villa Park this weekend, it will be a triumph not only for the pioneers of Heavy Metal, but it will also showcase just how far Aston Villa have come in their quest to be much more than just a football club.
When the final scream from Ozzy drifts into the night sky, and the applause has ended, behind the scenes at the famous old stadium, there will be a few sighs of relief, but also some hearty pats on the back. That's because the summer series of concerts at Villa Park are a big deal for the club, more than most people will probably realise.
I was invited to go and relive my youth and watch Guns N’ Roses open the summer of entertainment at the ground, and in doing so I was able to witness just how much work is going into this ongoing project.
A project that won’t end this summer, I should add, and will take on a new lease of life when the club opens the highly anticipated entertainment venue, The Warehouse.
After my teenage idols, Axl, Slash and co had left the Villa Park stage to a huge ovation, I sat down with Chief Operations Officer, Ben Hatton to find out more about events like this and why they are so important..
The first thing that becomes apparent after a quick tour of the stadium, and chatting to Ben, is that these concerts take an unenviable amount of planning.
Ben explains just how much work that actually is, stating: “It involves close collaboration between our events team, operations team, production partners, and artist management.
“We have got pitch protection flooring laid down to safeguard the turf, and then we see the staging and rigging installed, along with temporary backstage facilities. That’s where the band and crews typically use the backstage facilities that are set up as part of the stage installation.”
Aston Villa Chief Operations Officer, Ben Hatton
Aston Villa Chief Operations Officer, Ben Hatton
Protecting the pitch is obviously a key area of consideration. After all, it’s no use filling Unai Emery’s Villa team with silky ball players if they are going to be carving out the passes on a churned up pitch.
Ben was quick to reassure fans, stating: “Protecting Villa Park’s award-winning pitch is a significant task, but through established best practices and investment in turf technology we ensure successful events without jeopardising the pitch. It’s a big operation, and a challenge that our teams have gladly risen to.”
No sooner had the band left the stage, people were up on harnesses unbolting the huge rigging, and containers were being wheeled on stage and filled up with the band's gear.
It was mesmerizing to watch the sheer scale of the clean up operation , hundreds of staff combed the area which was by now a bed of plastic bottles and pint glasses, hoovering up everything in their path like an army of worker ants.
I wondered how many people were drafted in to make something like this a reality?
He had the answers for me, replying: “For a stadium show of this scale, staffing will increase by several hundred compared to a matchday, with precise numbers depending on expected capacity and complexity of the production.
“We coordinate with trusted partners to recruit locally where possible, supporting employment in the region.
“All roles are planned well in advance to ensure a seamless experience for attendees and to maintain the stadium’s exceptional operational standards.”
In short, this is a behemoth undertaking and one that requires painstaking preparation levels, so why do Villa put themselves through the process of creating something so grand and stressful?
The answer is of course money. There’s no need for anyone to be coy about their motives. This is a big revenue generator for the club in a time where every penny counts more than ever.
In recent years Villa have progressed at an impressive rate with the ambitions of Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, netting Champions League football, strong Premier League performances, and high-profile player signings.
A profitable link-up with adidas has shown the club's desire to position themselves as one of the country's elite teams on and off the pitch.
To do that, they have to think big, and act even bigger - and Villa are certainly doing that with their off pitch activity. Every summer when the season ends and the players leave the pitch and head for the beach, that's when the superstars enter the stadium and Villa Park becomes a different entity.
Bruce Springsteen, P!nk, The Foo Fighters, and now Guns N’Roses have all graced the hallowed turf, and in doing so they have generated important revenue for the club.
Bruce Springsteen at Villa Park Stadium
Bruce Springsteen at Villa Park Stadium(Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)
Black Sabbath’s swansong is of course next, so what can fans expect from Ozzy and pals at the weekend? Well, I’m given plenty of hints that fans are in for something special, and although Ben won’t give too much away, he does promise big things.
He explains: “It is the largest rock concert ever held at Villa Park stadium and it will be an unforgettable homecoming, with carefully curated production reflecting Black Sabbath’s legendary status and their deep connection to Villa.
“There will be state-of-the-art staging, lighting, and sound, and given Ozzy’s lifelong support for the club and prior collaborations, the event will blend musical spectacle with nods to Villa’s heritage.
“It will be a milestone event and will completely underscore Villa Park’s evolution into a world class entertainment destination. It certainly is not one to miss.”
Ben tells me why the entertainment strategy is so important for the club, saying: “ These events underpin our long-term growth by generating non-matchday revenue, supporting compliance with Premier League sustainability rules and enabling reinvestment into playing and infrastructure while mitigating reliance on player trading alone.
“They elevate Villa’s global profile, attract commercial partners, and diversify income streams. Revenue is then reinvested into the club, enhancing infrastructure, community initiatives, and squad development.
“While exact figures vary by event scale, headline concerts at Villa Park can generate significant revenue in ticketing, hospitality, sponsorship, and ancillary spend on food and beverages and merchandise.
“Proceeds contribute to broader club investment, both on the pitch, but also to fund stadium upgrades, fan experiences, and community programs, as well as helping meet financial regulations.”
That dedication to pumping profit back into the club suggests a very healthy business approach from the Villa Park officials, and an ambitious one too.
An artist's impression of what The Warehouse will look like at Villa Park (Picture courtesy of AVFC)
An artist's impression of what The Warehouse will look like at Villa Park (Picture courtesy of AVFC)
The vision for the future has already been announced with the North Stand redevelopments and the introduction of the Warehouse, a brand within a brand that has a big part to play in the future of the club.
The club have announced that they are teaming up with Oak View Group (OVG), global leaders in venue development, management, food & beverage, and sponsorship sales.
OVG will provide operational support within The Warehouse, with a primary focus on securing the best musical acts, as well as helping secure a naming rights partner for the venue.
“Our vision for The Warehouse is to create a vibrant, 3,500-capacity live entertainment venue that sits alongside Villa Park as a year-round destination for Villans, our community, and new visitors alike,” Ben told BirminghamLive.
“It’s the first Premier League club venue of its kind, blending matchday fanzones with live music, comedy, and cultural events.
“In terms of who will play at the Warehouse, we will be leveraging our partnership with Oak View Group, to secure the best acts and ensure that the venue becomes a must-play music destination for touring artists.
“Everything we do is about making Villa a thriving, high-performing club both on and off the pitch and we wanted to connect with fans beyond football, attract new audiences, and diversify revenue streams.
“We saw the stadium’s potential to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with leading UK venues and wanted to push this further in 2025, ultimately leading to our summer concert series.
“Extending the Villa brand into entertainment also creates year-round engagement and cements our role as a cultural driver in Birmingham and the West Midlands.”
An artist's impression of what The Warehouse will look like at Villa Park (Picture courtesy of AVFC)
An artist's impression of what The Warehouse will look like at Villa Park (Picture courtesy of AVFC)(Image: An artist's impression of what The Warehouse will look like at Villa Park (Picture courtesy of AVFC))
Bizarrely, speaking to Ben got me thinking about Jeremy Clarkson. You see, there really isn’t too much difference between football clubs and farms, when you think about it.
Many will have seen Clarkson on Amazon highlighting that diversification for farmers is as vital as ever for them to operate efficiently and competitively.
Over in B6, Villa are impressively doing their own bit of diversifying and building something very important not just for the football club, but also for the local economy.
Finding new ways to generate cash has been a key goal of Villa's owners Sawiris and Edens and the redevelopment of the North Stand will go some way to helping increase match day revenue.
The Warehouse - an artist's impression (Picture courtesy of AVFC)
The Warehouse - an artist's impression (Picture courtesy of AVFC)
They are shrewd enough to know that bricks and mortar are crucial, and making the most of their key asset is the best step forward. Villa Park is perfectly poised on the map to continue to attract big events, whether that's a concert, or an England game.
The club have seen how Spurs and Liverpool have started to use their grounds to their advantage and have now positioned themselves as one of the key players in the marketplace. With location giving bands and organisers a huge alternative to London, it's not hard to see why this approach from Villa is paying dividends.
As frustrated football fans will now be only too aware, having mega rich owners isn't enough to just leapfrog to success - it's about the strength of the business.
The Warehouse is a project where Villa can clearly see the value in having a smaller but substantial income throughout the whole year and they will already be looking at filling the calendar of events for the brand new project.
Packing that out on a regular basis will soon start to become a sizeable and worthwhile money generator, and will add another strong physical asset to the portfolio. The chance to get a business partner to put their name to it, is a tantalising future prospect when it comes to revenue and PSR.
Villa Park, Trinity Road
Villa Park, Trinity Road
What impressed me about hearing what the club had planned for the future, wasn’t just the profit potential and big names they can attract.
They know they are custodians of a historic football club, and that means being acutely aware of their role within the local community, one that cocoons the stadium.
A stadium that size in the middle of a built up housing area can only really be a big part of the community.
It's a role the club take very seriously and that is very evident through their excellent work in the local area with the Aston Villa Foundation.
Football clubs are the heart and soul of the local area, and Villa take that commitment seriously.
Talking about this role and responsibility, Ben told me: “Regeneration at Villa Park – including The Warehouse and North stand redevelopments – will drive increased footfall that benefits local businesses, from hospitality venues to retail, boosting jobs and regional economic growth.
“Also, by hosting the summer concerts and year-round entertainment, we are playing a central role in attracting visitors to Birmingham, helping raise the city’s cultural profile and supporting the wider West Midlands economy.
“We are consistently engaging with Birmingham City Council on ongoing redevelopments, and this has culminated in Mayor Richard Parker’s commitment to rebuild and upgrade to Witton Station, which is critical to our expansion and wider station regeneration.
“The station redevelopment will include enhanced station shelters, safer queuing systems, a new footbridge, and higher-capacity trains to double matchday passenger handling.“This work not only enables Villa to grow, but also delivers broader benefits to Aston residents and visitors by strengthening links between Aston, Birmingham City Centre, and beyond."
With so much work going on to make Villa an evolving brand and an entertainment force, it was the closing words from Villa's Chief Operations Officer that resonated the loudest.
"First and foremost we are here to to win football games - everything else is geared around making that happen."
What do you think about the bold plans the club has to make Villa a major player in the entertainment industry? Let us know in the comments