Blogs and Ends: Disney the Dismal Update
Next week we will see if Nelson Peltz and Jay Rosulo get seats on the Disney board of directors. While this does not mean that Bob Iger will automatically leave the company if they win, it will be seen as a body blow to his prestige. Worse still he will not be leaving on his own terms, assuming he was ever planning to leave at all.
He has an advisory contract that is slated to go into effect the moment he goes into “retirement” the term of that contract is unlikely to expire while he still alive. It is assumed with pretty good reason that Bob Chapek was meant to be someone executing his wishes, while Bob Iger played at being a retired Shogun, unofficially still running the Walt Disney Company.
He has been so adament in his refusal to allow the current board to operate with any transparency that the threat of this from Nelson Peltz had pushed Iger into an all or nothing campaign to block Trian from getting those seats.
And it may be for nothing according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Nelson Peltz may have a lead in votes as final ballots are turned in from across the spectrum of Disney shareholders. Though exact numbers have not been provided, and the majority of votes may still be outstanding, the idea that Peltz is currently in the lead is a shockwave across the industry.
The WSJ article notes that even more major institutionalist organizations are throwing their support to Peltz in the very late eleventh hour:
Also according to the same article: “A spokesman for Disney said leaking an early vote count was ‘a highly inappropriate attempt to sway votes.’”
While we cannot possibly state whether or not this leak would benefit Peltz or Disney, it is difficult to suggest that leaking early vote data is in any way appropriate. However, given that the information is now publicly available, it will undoubtedly have some impact on some voters. Will institutionalists now see a green light for voting Peltz? Will smaller, individual shareholders flock to Iger with a desire to cast votes that would have otherwise sat dormant?
One thing is for sure. Most pundits likely thought that Nelson Peltz had a very small, outside chance of getting on The Disney Board of Directors. Now, though Jay Rasulo remains a longshot, Peltz is neck-and-neck. If he does manage to get on the board, the response from Disney CEO Bob Iger — who has fought vigorously to stop Peltz — will be a very interesting thing to see. A much smaller disturbance was sufficient to send Michael Eisner packing once upon a time… and the same extremely influential ISS that helped facilitate that change (which ultimately resulted in Bob Iger ascending to CEO), is the same ISS now recommending against Iger’s desires.
Indeed and truly I have absolutely no way to tell how next week is going to go. But I will let you know how it shakes out.
NEXT
The Galactic Starcruiser is going up for auction. I’m not kidding. Apparently, the Disney Archive didn’t have enough room for all of that stuff. So the same week that the shareholder vote takes place the last of fragements of Captain Keevan’s ill-fated command will go under the hammer.
In one of the most bizarre twists of the week, Disney has timed the announcement of a quasi garage sale effort for the defunct Star Wars Hotel so that it lands just ahead of the Disney Board vote.
According to a new report, The Walt Disney Company and Disney Parks are busy selling off parts of the Galactic Starcruiser which closed last year. The expensive Star Wars role playing experience combined a two-day hotel stay with larping and theater for a one-of-a-kind endeavor that didn’t attract sufficient audiences. With costs that soared into the thousands of dollars, families simply did not attend in numbers that could satisfy Disney’s needs for keeping it open. After less-than-two years of existence, the Star Wars Galactice Starcrusier closed down and has been vacant of guests ever since.
Now, however, SF Gate is reporting that parts of the experience are going up for sale. According to the publication, Disneyland will begin selling alien-style, out-of-this-world, Star Wars inspired glassware that was used during the hotel’s run. These items will be sold as souvenir items for those who attend Disneyland’s Star Wars area bar and purchase them along with an adult beverage. There is no announcement that Disney World’s own Star Wars land still operating will do the same.
The Halcyon was a hilarious waste of resources. I honestly miss thefountain of hilarious content it so effortlessly provided me. From the absurd pricing to the terrible experience all that money provided. The Star Wars Galactic Cruiser always delivered.
For me you understand. Anyone who went on it got screwed.
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In case you clicked on the links you’ve noticed that tonight’s Blogs and Ends is kind of That Park Place heavy edition. It started life as more Disney Parks blog than anything else. However, WDWPro lured John Trent away from Bounding Into Comics and Trent has turned TPP into a genuine news service.
I’ve heard a few people grumble about how WDWPro is a being a cuck for insisting on trying to report in an acutal fair and balanced manner. But here’s the thing, people only leak when they are upset. However, they won’t just leak to anyone. By taking this tack, a number of frustrated lefties at Disney are willing talk to That Park Place specifically because of that policy.
Nonetheless, when TPP picks a course, they stick with it. And they are now having to deal with a lawfare attack in consequence.
Black Gamer Girls, a Sweet Baby Inc clone has hit TPP with a cease and desist letter. TPP will be publicly replying to this legal threat on Sunday. They have the Dark Herald’s support.
Okay, I’m done here.
