It was on the fictional island of Isla Nublar somewhere off the Pacific coast where Dr Ian Malcolm, over a spot of lunch in a space-like booth, delivered a lesson in ethics that has felt pertinent in the real world over the past week or so. Until Aston Villa released their eye-popping Champions League ticket prices, a comparison between the club and a cutting line from Jurassic Park would have felt far-fetched. “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should,” said Malcolm, played by Jeff Goldblum, as the park’s altruistic founder got giddy at the prospect of bringing dinosaurs back to life.
The 1993 film was directed by Steven Spielberg, Villa’s ticket prices seemingly by Chris Heck, the president of business operations, who doubled down on the price points in a statement on Tuesday, almost a week on from sparking the storm. He blamed profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) and the “need to generate” maximum revenue through sponsorships, merchandise and, er, ticket sales.
