Francesco Calvo talks Aston Villa ticket prices, there's an update on Rory Wilson and two new revenue drivers have been confirmed
Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa
Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa(Image: PA)
Twelve weeks after the disappointment of missing out on Champions League qualification, Aston Villa return to action this Saturday for the start of their new Premier League campaign.
Newcastle United - who edged Villa out of fifth place last season - visit Villa Park on the opening weekend.
Eddie Howe’s side have struggled to build on last season’s successes and could soon lose their prized asset, Alexander Isak. The Sweden international is not expected to feature against Villa after refusing to play in pre-season.
Here’s a few snippets from around Villa ahead of the new campaign…
Calvo talks about tickets
Over the summer, Villa announced a 5% price increase across the board for all forthcoming games for adult tickets, while under-21 concession prices will remain the same as last season.
They’ve also restructured the match categories for the season in a bid to make games more accessible to supporters who might not usually be able to get tickets.
When Newcastle last visited in April, an adult ticket in Zone Two - prime central seats in the Holte, Doug Ellis, and Trinity Road stands - cost £72.50. For August’s curtain-raiser, the same ticket cost £77.
All tickets, regardless of age, are £92 in the 1888 Club. Zone One adult tickets are £82, Zone Two £77, Zone Three £71, and Zone Four £58.
Francesco Calvo, Villa’s recently appointed President of Business Operations, addressed the sensitive subject of ticket prices in an interview with The Times last week.
“It’s important to think with two hearts,” he said. “The heart of the club, because we need to drive the club forward, but also the heart of the fans. What do they want? They are not consumers - they’re fans.”
Asked what he has learned about the club so far, Calvo replied: “That it is deeply rooted within the community. I did a very basic analysis of the representation of clubs within the Premier League - advisory groups, subcommittees, FA committees. There are 60 positions and 20 clubs. Easy maths: three clubs have no representation at all. Aston Villa is one.
“That was a surprise because if I look at Aston Villa, we’re one of the founding members of the Premier League, have a rich history, and represent the city of Birmingham - so we should play an important role within English football. If we have ideas - and our ownership and management do - we should be active.”
Rory Wilson update
Young forward Rory Wilson has returned to training after recovering from an injury which delayed the start of his pre-season, as first reported by The Athletic.
The 19-year-old is targeting a full return to action next month, hoping to get among the goals for the Under-21s after a frustrating last campaign.
Wilson featured in only five Premier League 2 matches last season but still managed to score twice - in defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal.
Back in April, Villa secured Wilson’s future with a new deal after a breakthrough in talks. His previous contract was due to expire this summer, but once the winter transfer window closed, all parties were keen to agree fresh terms.
Monchi and Damian Vidagany were involved in negotiations, with Villa committing significant resources to secure a shorter-term deal than originally proposed.
Two new sponsor partners
In his conversation with The Times, Calvo also stressed the importance of increasing revenues to remain competitive on the pitch.
While stadium naming rights for Villa Park could be considered in the future, his current focus is on other commercial opportunities.
In recent days, Villa confirmed partnerships with two drinks companies - including Guinness.
The iconic Irish stout is now an official global partner for both the men’s and women’s teams. Fans will be able to enjoy Guinness and Guinness 0.0 at Villa Park this season.
Adrian Filby, Villa’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are delighted to welcome Guinness to the Aston Villa partner family - a global brand instantly recognisable to millions worldwide. With so many options to choose from, we are extremely proud that Guinness recognised Aston Villa’s significant growth both on and off the pitch, particularly the exciting developments in and around Villa Park.
"We look forward to working closely with Guinness to create authentic experiences for our supporters during the 90 minutes on matchday and beyond.”
More recently, Red Bull also joined as an official partner. Filby added: "We are delighted that another huge, global brand has joined our family of partners.
"Red Bull’s global outlook matches our own ambitions for growth, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them - not only to benefit our teams on the pitch and in training, but also to provide supporters with unique experiences.”
Claret & Blue catch-up
Our 2025/26 season preview is now live. You can watch it here, or by clicking play in the video below…