Tony Aujla is pleased as he surveys his territory. Location is everything for his business, and he has a prime one. Like a general surveying a battlefield, he points to his right: a short walk that way is Aston train station. Over to the left is Villa Park, home of the city’s Premier League soccer team, Aston Villa, with its grand, brick-lined facade.
On game days, hundreds of fans disembark trains at the former every few minutes and make their way towards the latter. This is what makes Mr. Aujla’s spot so perfect. All of them have to pass by this exact location. If any of them need something to eat during their not-so-challenging walk, he is there, ready to sell them a burger. Maybe even with cheese.
Mr. Aujla has been a fixture outside Villa Park for over four decades, but Tony’s Burger Bar has been on this enviable and specific real estate for three years. It is one of several vans, all occupying the same space and offering a similar menu, all surrounded by the steam from their fryers.
However, they now have to deal with the arrival of a rival on a slightly larger scale: an official fan area designed to attract customers and their money away from the vans and towards the club itself.
In March 2022, Aston Villa transformed Lions Square, a trapezoid of land near Villa Park, into a “fan zone” – an officially sanctioned tailgate event. It includes a stage for live music, interviews with beloved former players, a couple of bars, and a few food trucks.
This is not a new concept for Premier League teams, as it has long been a feature of major international soccer tournaments. Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City, and others have experimented with similar ideas, and more teams plan to follow suit. Newcastle has already announced plans to establish a fan zone outside St. James’s Park.
According to Phil Alexander, a former chief executive of Crystal Palace, the primary motivation behind fan zones is not hard to figure out. There are various additional benefits to having them. “Operationally, it’s helpful if some fans arrive earlier and leave later,” he said.
Clubs also want to ”enhance the experience” of attending a game, said Mr. Alexander. “Traditionally, it’s always been a late fill,” he said. “People would arrive five minutes before kickoff and leave straight after the final whistle. Improving the in-stadium offering, which for a long time left a lot to be desired, turns it into a whole-day activity.”
However, the main purpose is clear: fan zones are another way for clubs to generate revenue.
The amount of money that can be made from catering, whether through clubs providing their own food or outsourcing to a third party, is relatively small compared to the fortunes…
2024-01-13 00:14:34
Article from www.nytimes.com
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