Comcast to buy SeaWorld?

[Disneyhead]

Not with this...PETA would not let it go, and CNN would have a field day...it would be bad news (CNN's motto ironically)

Rehab and release is the only option IMO

33 of SeaWorld's 39 Orcas were born in captivity. There is no way they can be released into the wild.

 

[Kevin38]

How about This They expand California tanks transfer All Orlando's Orca's there (you can't split them up according to blackfish)
So they can start on replacing Orlando's Tanks .Once The Orca's are gone they Sell Seaworld Orlando to Universal who re-brands it.

 

[shiekra38]

33 of SeaWorld's 39 Orcas were born in captivity. There is no way they can be released into the wild.

Exactly, but that is what everybody seems to want...

 

[GAcoaster]

Not with this...PETA would not let it go, and CNN would have a field day...it would be bad news (CNN's motto ironically)

Rehab and release is the only option IMO

Rehab and release won't work. PETA can't protest for something that was no longer in the company's control. They would be welcome to go to China and protest I'm sure...

If Comcast were to buy SeaWorld and sell the whales off, they could make all kinds of stipulations about the size of the habitats and everything else to (at least on the surface) show the whales will have better conditions in a new home. That's what every other marine life park has done when they sent/sold their whales to SeaWorld, pointing out that they had the biggest and best habitats available (which of course are still not up to PETA standards).

Also, CNN would quickly not care since they rely on Comcast for delivery into the homes of people through their cable systems. That's SeaWorld's biggest problem right now is they have no clout. AB used to threaten dropping sponsorship if anyone in the media complained about their treatment of animals. Comcast has clout with the media.

 

[AK-Jake]

People have short memories.

Exactly. That's why I think SeaWorld will be able to get back on its feet if it can survive the next few years. Politics thrive on the fact that people have short memories. Blackfish significance has already faded substantially...who's going to remember it in 5 years? Once SeaWorld has expanded its tanks and opened a major new attraction (that is better received than Antarctica), the mainstream public will return and the has-been performers who backed out of Bands, Brew & BBQ will be back performing as well. The animal lovers/PETA types will always be grumbling, but their complaints will fall on deaf ears and all will be fine. If Comcast gobbles up the chain, their problems will be over in an even shorter amount of time. I really hope it happens!

 

[IzzyB]

Exactly. That's why I think SeaWorld will be able to get back on its feet if it can survive the next few years. Politics thrive on the fact that people have short memories. Blackfish significance has already faded substantially...who's going to remember it in 5 years? Once SeaWorld has expanded its tanks and opened a major new attraction (that is better received than Antarctica), the mainstream public will return and the has-been performers who backed out of Bands, Brew & BBQ will be back performing as well. The animal lovers/PETA types will always be grumbling, but their complaints will fall on deaf ears and all will be fine. If Comcast gobbles up the chain, their problems will be over in an even shorter amount of time. I really hope it happens!

I agree with you up to the Comcast part. They would have to wait until all the PR dies down before buying it. The issue with Comcast is that it is not just Comcast. At least with Sea World it really only effected their parks, but if Comcast buys it now, not only does the PR hit their parks, it hits NBC (which is just starting to get better ratings and can't afford bad PR right now), their cable division (which with more competition in many neighborhoods it also can't afford a hit right now), and the parks. The parks would actually take the least hit, it is the rest of their company that can't handle the hit it would take. And the thing with parks is you might not go this year or maybe not the one after that, but you will be back (except the PETA nuts). But cable, once you switch, you aren't coming back. Especially since the competition is cheaper and better. With NBC once people stop watching the network they don't go back because they don't see the promos. That is why NBC has had such a hard time getting back into the ratings. They finally did and can't afford to slip at all.

As for selling them, it can happen, but it would be AWFUL PR. They would protest whoever sold the Orcas because they want them released, not sold. Which most of the public will eventually realize that releasing them is not the right answer, they will see a better habitat and go, "Oh look, Sea World listed" and go again. Better habitat is the way to go.

 

[AK-Jake]

Some good points, Izzy. However, when it comes to cable companies, Comcast is generally THE most hated of them all. Buying SeaWorld won't hurt their cable reputation one bit. As for the rest, I humbly think if there's one company who can turn things around for SeaWorld, it's NBC-Universal. They've got the PR machine, the money, and the sheer theme park skill/experience to make it happen. The negative buzz will die off in the coming near-future (hopefully in part because they'll speed up the Blue World project and get the new Orca habitats done quickly), and they'll find themselves with all of the pure potential the Busch/SeaWorld parks provide. They'll tap into that and will change the face of the parks and the Orlando theme park market. I'm not saying it'll be all rainbows and sunshine right away, but it'll work out in the end and that's what matters.

I honestly pray to God this happens!

 

[Jon84]

Acquisitions and transactions of this scale take a long time to complete, and even longer to integrate the new acquisition into the existing business.

With the currently plans for UOR I don't suppose Comcast will be up for this complication!