Disney/FOX Acquisition Thread

[Paulio]

It would get Comcast's foot much more into the European market, which could actually impact Foreign Satellite markets for the long-term (but who do I know). Hell, I think a potentially great outcome could be if they could try to get some of the assets of Fox Sports, as Disney I thought is being forced to Divest.

I get that Sky is important, but I really doubt the world's gonna care about it as much as Fox, which makes much bigger headlines and attention than the former. I also don't see Disney wanting to give up fully on Sky either, since they value the asset as treasurable as the Fox assets. Either way, if they gain Fox, they gain 39% of Sky, which means they have a bargaining chip with Comcast for any number of things, like Hulu for example. So either Comcast is gonna acquire Sky 100% (which I really doubt they will due to their debt situation) or they will lose bigtime if all they done is acquire a stake on the asset. If they did the latter, then Disney wins, 100% for Fox, and certain stakes for Sky. That would be a really black mark on the history of Comcast and ISP in general.

I think you're being a little dramatic.

Well, the idea of the ISP like Comcast losing out big like Fox to the entertainment company like Disney in favor of something important, but smaller like Sky (the best thing they would have done is acquire a stake in Sky, which is very pitiful and very small) would be a blow to their history, and entertainment and media history, so yes I considered that a huge deal. Comcast really needs to make it full-time or just go with the smaller things like having stakes in Sky.

 

[HereWeGo]

Regardless, whether Comcast gets Sky or not, losing out Fox to Disney would be the biggest embarrassing legacy on the part of Comcast and in American entertainment and media history.

I feel like you want Comcast to get Fox more than Comcast wants to get Fox.

 

[Nick]

I feel like you want Comcast to get Fox more than Comcast wants to get Fox.

And I feel like he does mostly out of the old “just so the other guy doesn’t” belief.

Comcast has never wanted FOX. They want Sky. They’ve simply been bidding up mostly to test how much Disney wanted it and make them pay more.

 

[Nick]

Not to steer too far off topic, but I was thinking about a lot of things with Comcast and the types of IPs they have to play with and I said to myself "Why don't they just buy DC Comics?".

I know we've joked about DC before on the theme park side, but from a business perspective it makes a ton of sense. I know Comcast buying WB would never fly and they would never sell either, but just DC Comics? I assume that at a certain price point, WB would be willing to part with it. They would also immediately be able to use the characters in USJ.

Just a crazy town thought. WB is struggling with the brand right now and Comcast isn't in the Superhero game at all - if WB fails to prove they can make the relaunched(?) DCEU work over the next few movies then I have to think WB is going to seriously re-look at what's going on. Also, I assume the distribution rights to Hulk would revert to Marvel in any deal.

 

[Scott W.]

Not to steer too far off topic, but I was thinking about a lot of things with Comcast and the types of IPs they have to play with and I said to myself "Why don't they just buy DC Comics?".

I know we've joked about DC before on the theme park side, but from a business perspective it makes a ton of sense. I know Comcast buying WB would never fly and they would never sell either, but just DC Comics? I assume that at a certain price point, WB would be willing to part with it. They would also immediately be able to use the characters in USJ.

Just a crazy town thought. WB is struggling with the brand right now and Comcast isn't in the Superhero game at all - if WB fails to prove they can make the relaunched(?) DCEU work over the next few movies then I have to think WB is going to seriously re-look at what's going on. Also, I assume the distribution rights to Hulk would revert to Marvel in any deal.

How would this work in Orlando with Universal having MSHI? Theme parks aside, I think the DC movies are a toxic property right now.

 

[Nick]

How would this work in Orlando with Universal having MSHI? Theme parks aside, I think the DC movies are a toxic property right now.

I wasn't really thinking of it from a Theme park standpoint. Stateside Six Flags has a contract for quite a while still anyway. Something like 2025 (or longer) I think. It is a good question though on how it would work in Orlando. Marvel's contract is specific that it can only be used in IOA... could a competing comic franchise legally have a presence at Site B down the line?

And yeah, DC is pretty toxic right now, but that's more because of bad management. The characters have stood the test of time and are widely known. If you get the right management in there and you give DC their own Studio like Marvel has where they can run themselves, then it becomes a lot easier to succeed. Right now, WB refuses to take that fairly easy step of just giving DC control of themselves.

 

[Paulio]

Not to steer too far off topic, but I was thinking about a lot of things with Comcast and the types of IPs they have to play with and I said to myself "Why don't they just buy DC Comics?".

I know we've joked about DC before on the theme park side, but from a business perspective it makes a ton of sense. I know Comcast buying WB would never fly and they would never sell either, but just DC Comics? I assume that at a certain price point, WB would be willing to part with it. They would also immediately be able to use the characters in USJ.

Just a crazy town thought. WB is struggling with the brand right now and Comcast isn't in the Superhero game at all - if WB fails to prove they can make the relaunched(?) DCEU work over the next few movies then I have to think WB is going to seriously re-look at what's going on. Also, I assume the distribution rights to Hulk would revert to Marvel in any deal.

You're gonna have to pry it out of AT&T's dead hands if you seriously want Comcast to acquire DC Comics. Like Disney's Marvel Entertainment, DC Comics is owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros, whose parent company is AT&T. Also, AT&T (which is the most powerful ISP like Comcast) is pretty much new to the entertainment world after last month's merger success so they might try and revamp DCEU in the long run. As you said, it's not gonna fly in any other way, considering WB's past success of DC Comics movies, especially Wonder Woman is a hit last year among fans and critics. They might have a few struggles there, but having DC Comics for WB is the only way to arm themselves against Marvel Comics movies from Disney, Sony, or Fox. WB is as much as a serious competitor in the entertainment arena right next to Disney, they ain't gonna bargain, especially they have the backing of AT&T.

It is a good question though on how it would work in Orlando. Marvel's contract is specific that it can only be used in IOA... could a competing comic franchise legally have a presence at Site B down the line?

As long you don't remove Marvel Super Hero Island within IOA, then it's totally legal to have DC Comics area within the same park or in the 3rd theme park as well, if you bother to have more room. However, it makes no sense to have two competing superhero comics brand in the same park so it's unlikely gonna happen, since removing MSHI in favor of the DC area would end Universal's theme park right with Marvel, as we know it, and Walt Disney World would have a free reign of using whatever Marvel properties as well as the Marvel name in its parks (which also means Disneyland Resort can use the name as well). Comcast isn't gonna let that happen, especially how fiercely they try to become the next Disney of the century.

 

[Nick]

You're gonna have to pry it out of AT&T's dead hands if you seriously want Comcast to acquire DC Comics. Like Disney's Marvel Entertainment, DC Comics is owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros, whose parent company is AT&T. Also, AT&T (which is the most powerful ISP like Comcast) is pretty much new to the entertainment world after last month's merger success so they might try and revamp DCEU in the long run. As you said, it's not gonna fly in any other way, considering WB's past success of DC Comics movies, especially Wonder Woman is a hit last year among fans and critics. They might have a few struggles there, but having DC Comics for WB is the only way to arm themselves against Marvel Comics movies from Disney, Sony, or Fox. WB is as much as a serious competitor in the entertainment arena right next to Disney, they ain't gonna bargain, especially they have the backing of AT&T.



As long you don't remove Marvel Super Hero Island within IOA, then it's totally legal to have DC Comics area within the same park or in the 3rd theme park as well, if you bother to have more room. However, it makes no sense to have two competing superhero comics brand in the same park so it's unlikely gonna happen, since removing MSHI in favor of the DC area would end Universal's theme park right with Marvel, as we know it, and Walt Disney World would have a free reign of using whatever Marvel properties as well as the Marvel name in its parks (which also means Disneyland Resort can use the name as well). Comcast isn't gonna let that happen, especially how fiercely they try to become the next Disney of the century.

I forgot that DC goes all the way up to AT&T.

Either way it was just an off the cuff thought as I said. I would like to specify my original post was never about theme park usage.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

 

[JoeCamel]

21CF stock falling and CMCSA is rising. DIS just paid 20b premium for 21CF. Good job Mr. Roberts.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yes, as many here predicted....Well played to drive the price up.:thumbsup:

 

[rhino4evr]

so...what now?

 

[JungleSkip]

so...what now?

So Disney gets Fox's assets that don't include Sky, and the Sky bidding war continues

 

[zg44]

Here's the key outcome:
1) Disney added $36 billion in cash to their bid.

2) Disney agreed to divest the RSNs.

Those were the main reasons why Comcast counterbid for the Fox assets.

Disney will see its debt load increase by around $30 billion depending on the price they get for the RSNs.

All of this is far more favorable than the original deal which looked like Disney stealing the Fox assets for $52 billion in stock (and just assumption of $14 billion in debt).

Now Comcast can probably get 51% of Sky and then negotiate a trade of their 30% of Hulu and some cash for the rest.

Or raise the price until it's not worth it for Disney to own the whole thing.

Either way, Comcast is pretty happy about the outcome.

 

[Andysol]

Yes, as many here predicted....Well played to drive the price up.:thumbsup:

All of this is far more favorable than the original deal which looked like Disney stealing the Fox assets for $52 billion in stock (and just assumption of $14 billion in debt).

I don’t really understand yalls excitement or position.

Well played for who? All of this is more favorable for who?

Disney paying more certainly doesn’t benefit any of us. It certainly doesn’t benefit WDW or any of their parks. It certainly doesn’t benefit anyone who had investment in Disney stock via their investment firms or mutual funds through 401ks and IRAs.

Universal not getting it and driving the price up equally didn’t benefit any of us. It also didn’t benefit UOR or any of the parks.

I understand the preference in wanting Comcast to get the IPs. Or Disney. But I simply don’t understand any excitement over inflated price. Comcast didn’t win anything.

Murdoch wins. That’s it. So unless you’re just a giant fan of Murdoch or an heir, I just don’t get it.

The raising of the price is a loss for everyone. Including theme park fans. Unless people like seeing disney fail and not invest, then... ok? UOR and WDW are at their best when they are both investing heavily.

 

[Mad Dog]

I don’t really understand yalls excitement or position.

Well played for who? All of this is more favorable for who?

Disney paying more certainly doesn’t benefit any of us. It certainly doesn’t benefit WDW or any of their parks. It certainly doesn’t benefit anyone who had investment in Disney stock via their investment firms or mutual funds through 401ks and IRAs.

Universal not getting it and driving the price up equally didn’t benefit any of us. It also didn’t benefit UOR or any of the parks.

I understand the preference in wanting Comcast to get the IPs. Or Disney. But I simply don’t understand any excitement over inflated price. Comcast didn’t win anything.

Murdoch wins. That’s it. So unless you’re just a giant fan of Murdoch or an heir, I just don’t get it.

The raising of the price is a loss for everyone. Including theme park fans. Unless people like seeing disney fail and not invest, then... ok? UOR and WDW are at their best when they are both investing heavily.

Comcast mainly wanted the foreign distribution. The domestic Fox stuff was evidently a secondary interest. By driving up the cost, Comcast has a better chance to get Sky. Sky is the prize they're looking for. ...And why is it important to us? A strong Comcast is more apt to continue this Universal theme park expansion we've all been enjoying.

 

[Alicia]

Comcast mainly wanted the foreign distribution. The domestic Fox stuff was evidently a secondary interest. By driving up the cost, Comcast has a better chance to get Sky. Sky is the prize they're looking for. ...And why is it important to us? A strong Comcast is more apt to continue this Universal theme park expansion we've all been enjoying.

And a broke Comcast might not wanna spend on new parks. I'm glad they're walking away from trying to buy the whole kitten caboodle. Just too much money to blow all at once if you ask me.

 

[Andysol]

Comcast mainly wanted the foreign distribution. The domestic Fox stuff was evidently a secondary interest. By driving up the cost, Comcast has a better chance to get Sky. Sky is the prize they're looking for. ...And why is it important to us? A strong Comcast is more apt to continue this Universal theme park expansion we've all been enjoying.

Who else was a contender for Sky?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I don’t really understand yalls excitement or position.

Well played for who? All of this is more favorable for who?

Disney paying more certainly doesn’t benefit any of us. It certainly doesn’t benefit WDW or any of their parks. It certainly doesn’t benefit anyone who had investment in Disney stock via their investment firms or mutual funds through 401ks and IRAs.

Universal not getting it and driving the price up equally didn’t benefit any of us. It also didn’t benefit UOR or any of the parks.

I understand the preference in wanting Comcast to get the IPs. Or Disney. But I simply don’t understand any excitement over inflated price. Comcast didn’t win anything.

Murdoch wins. That’s it. So unless you’re just a giant fan of Murdoch or an heir, I just don’t get it.

The raising of the price is a loss for everyone. Including theme park fans. Unless people like seeing disney fail and not invest, then... ok? UOR and WDW are at their best when they are both investing heavily.

I agree, consumers lose in the long run. Lack of competition, reduction in spending in parks, reduction in movies, etc.

 

[Mad Dog]

And a broke Comcast might not wanna spend on new parks. I'm glad they're walking away from trying to buy the whole kitten caboodle. Just too much money to blow all at once if you ask me.

Agreed. I never cared much for the domestic Fox assets. Too much junk there for the amount of money that was being bid. Foreign distribution like Sky is a great compliment to Comcast, if they can acquire it. Sky fits into their business plan and would expand their worldwide market penetration.