Franchise Notes: Aston Villa To Spend Less Than $112,500 To 'Refresh' Club Crest

Relegation-threatened EPL side Aston Villa said that it is spending less than £80,000 ($112,500) to "refresh" the club's crest. It was reported changes to the badge -- intended to make Villa "more effective in the digital age" -- could cost £2M ($2.8M). The crest will change on its website, retail products, TV station, club publications and at its stadium (BBC, 4/6).

Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool supporters "will join forces to demonstrate against rising ticket prices in football when the two teams meet at the Westfalenstadion in the Europa League on Thursday." Both sets of fans "played a leading role in the fight to keep prices in domestic leagues affordable." The Kein Zwanni ('No to €20') movement, protesting against prices in the Bundesliga when ticket costs for away standing increased above €20, was initiated by Dortmund supporters in '10. Liverpool fan groups Spion Kop 1906 and Spirit of Shankly, meanwhile, "will mastermind the Liverpool protests" (ESPN, 4/7).