Report: LIV Golf snap up Premier League exec

LIV Golf have reportedly snapped up Aston Villa's president of business operations, according to a report. 

The Telegraph have reported American executive Chris Heck will leave the Premier League football club after two years and will look to build the same corporate infrastructure at LIV Golf. 

At Aston Villa, Heck was tasked by its owners with raising the club's revenue to £400m by 2027 from roughly £218m.

It is believed that Villa will announce annual revenue for the current financial year of about £375m.

What was his role at Aston Villa?

The 56-year-old has been the de facto chief executive of the business side of the club, and under his supervision, plans for a new North Stand at Villa Park have been announced.

They also recently completed an upgrade of hospitality last summer, in time for the club's return to European football’s top competition.

Many fans were left unhappy when ticket prices were raised for the four Champions League home games, for which Heck took most of the blame.

The proposed plans for the new North Stand will not only include an increase in capacity from 5,000 to 12,000, but plans will also include a new venue in the car park: The Warehouse, a 4,000 capacity entertainment venue.

Heck, who previously worked for NBA franchise, the Philadelphia 76ers, was primarily brought into the club to make major gains in its revenue to match billionaire owner Nassef Sawiris' ambitions and remain within the Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

The Telegraph's chief football writer, Sam Wallace, has claimed that Heck had made some hard calls to raise revenue to £400m, but through improving hospitality and raising ticket prices, he dragged Villa closer to their target.

LIV Golf returns this week in their first-ever event in South Korea, at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club.

The league will handing a debut to a new player.