A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Rodan75]

I can't believe for one second that Disney's board would want Lassetter as CEO. He is a creative leader, not a Wall Street leader and TWDC needs both. I can't believe I'm saying this...they need someone closer to Eisner or Jeff Bewkes. Someone who can corale the creatives and the analysts. I can't believe anyone on the board would be deluded enough to think Lassetter is that guy.

Now that I've gone off the rails of wild speculation myself. I think it is important that whoever the next CEO is follows at least one of Iger's mandates...not micro-managing the divisions. You can't have the CEO of TWDC swooping in and trying to direct movies and interfere with the creative process. (even if they are mostly franchise pics)

 

[TestTrack Dummy]

PLEASE YES!!!!!!

DITO!

 

[FigmentJedi]

You can't have the CEO of TWDC swooping in and trying to direct movies and interfere with the creative process. (even if they are mostly franchise pics)

Considering John's more recent directorial efforts (the two Cars movies), it's probably for the better he gets kicked upstairs.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Before her site went dark, Nikki Finke was doing a multi-part story on Sony's inept management. This was before the hacks. Unfortunately, she never got around to posting the rest of the series. Let me tell you, no one came off looking good in the part that was posted. Sounds like they need to clean house.

When we were in the middle of Sony Hack, a number of entertainment reporters noted that Sony Corp in Japan has let SPE do whatever they wanted. This attitude can be directly traced back to their acquisition of the studio almost 25 years ago. If you want to know more, there's this great book I have been personally trying to get ahold of called "Hit and Run" by Spirit's good friend Kim Masters. Needless to say conservative Japanese conglomerates and greedy, incompent Hollywood execs don't mix.

 

[ford91exploder]

PLEASE YES!!!!!!

Same here and with that kind of matchup with a STRONG creative and a STRONG finance guy TWDC will be back to the kind of winning executive team which built the company Walt/Roy, Eisner/Wells and perhaps Lasseter/Staggs

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Yeah, I don't buy that anyone wants Lasseter, and frankly, he shouldn't be CEO. He's a talented man for what he does, and I doubt he wants the responsibility of running the whole company when he can barely manage the responsibilities he has now.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I am less than enthusiastic about this Staggs news.

As far as I know, the only creative thing the man did in the past few years was the Frozen Summer Fun.... which was essentially just an email saying "You Need to Do something, we start in two weeks"....

 

[FrankLapidus]

PLEASE YES!!!!!!

I'm a huge Lasseter fan but I wouldn't want him at the head of the table, for me he's exactly where he's best suited and needed.

I think he could absolutely lead the company creatively but, as a fan of Disney and Pixar animation, I wouldn't want his focus spread thinner across the board as CEO. I'd like him to be more active in the parks, I think WDW could really benefit from Lasseter coming down and taking a really critical look at things. But, for me, animation is where he should be.

I fear Staggs as CEO would just be more of the same as what we've gotten with Iger. He'd be better than Rasulo without question but that's really not saying a lot. I still think the company still needs to be looking at a Walt/Roy or Eisner/Wells-type partnership; someone with a creative vision who can lead the company to new heights alongside a sensible, business-minded partner.

Above all else, whoever it is has to have a love and appreciation for what they've inheriting. Not see Disney as a brand but as a unique living legacy that grows though creative innovation and ingenuity rather than IP acquisitions. Iger hasn't been that person, Rasulo certaintly isn't and I have my doubts that Staggs can be that person.

 

[Kman101]

I know it's fun to blame the leaders, but wasn't it TDO/WDI who clearly couldn't bother to spend the money on Frozen Summer Fun? Two weeks or not I'm not going to blame Staggs for it not being up to par. At least someone noticed that something needed to be done with Frozen and give DHS something it used to do, temporary offerings to promote a movie.

 

[71jason]

I am less than enthusiastic about this Staggs news.

As far as I know, the only creative thing the man did in the past few years was the Frozen Summer Fun.... which was essentially just an email saying "You Need to Do something, we start in two weeks"....

So he delegated theme park entertainment to JM Roddy ... about the smartest thing you can do in Orlando, honestly. HHN still largely living off the reputation of what he built.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm a huge Lasseter fan but I wouldn't want him at the head of the table, for me he's exactly where he's best suited and needed.

I think he could absolutely lead the company creatively but, as a fan of Disney and Pixar animation, I wouldn't want his focus spread thinner across the board as CEO. I'd like him to be more active in the parks, I think WDW could really benefit from Lasseter coming down and taking a really critical look at things. But, for me, animation is where he should be.

I fear Staggs as CEO would just be more of the same as what we've gotten with Iger. He'd be better than Rasulo without question but that's really not saying a lot. I still think the company still needs to be looking at a Walt/Roy or Eisner/Wells-type partnership; someone with a creative vision who can lead the company to new heights alongside a sensible, business-minded partner.

Above all else, whoever it is has to have a love and appreciation for what they've inheriting. Not see Disney as a brand but as a unique living legacy that grows though creative innovation and ingenuity rather than IP acquisitions. Iger hasn't been that person, Rasulo certaintly isn't and I have my doubts that Staggs can be that person.

An arrangement where Lasseter is COB and Staggs is CEO could be a very beneficial combination where Lasseter sets the Creative direction of the company and Staggs handles operational details.

 

[71jason]

Now Smokey Bones giving out free stuff to Disney Lifestylers. Tell me how that helps either party? And didn't they go out of business 5 years ago?

Wondered why that place was suddenly all over Twitter.

 

[Nubs70]

Yeah, for a manufacturer. Depreciation is absolutely not included in cost of sales for either a service or retail model.

However, if one operates a facility as a manufacturing transformation, I think an accountant could make a rational argument.

 

[5thGenTexan]

My local park, Six Flags Over Texas, is getting a state of the art 3D dark ride that combines interactive gameplay and 360 movements a la Spiderman.

I can only wish WDW would add something this complex and ambitious these days.

Are you old enough to know SFOT before Warner Bros did what they did?

 

[Darth Sidious]

I suspect this directly related to the relatively recent improvement in Parks & Resorts gross margin, something Jay Rasulo could never get a handle on.

Looks like I need to post a graph later tonight.

Rasulo didn't want to sign a new contract without knowing he was next in line. I guess they told him to buzz off.

 

[Darth Sidious]

@WDW1974 not sure you can/will comment on this publicly but didn't MDE used to really like Staggs? And for that matter wasn't there a point where he liked Bobby? It seems to be that there might have been some falling out. MDE also recently responded to an anti Iger tweet on Twitter, saying he disagreed and that Bob was doing a "good job". (I'm not naive enough to think it wasn't just public fronting but who knows)

 

[BrerJon]

I can't believe for one second that Disney's board would want Lassetter as CEO. He is a creative leader, not a Wall Street leader and TWDC needs both. I can't believe I'm saying this...they need someone closer to Eisner or Jeff Bewkes. Someone who can corale the creatives and the analysts. I can't believe anyone on the board would be deluded enough to think Lassetter is that guy.

I think you need a Walt and a Roy, or an Eisner and Wells (or a Spirit and ParentsOf4) - a creative guy (or wannabe creative guy) who understands the Disney DNA - to lead the company and a numbers guy who 'gets it' and can work out the finances to make the magic happen.

A creative CEO like Lasseter would work fine as long as he was supported by a very strong Wall Street friendly COO, and Staggs fits the bill great for that.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I can't believe for one second that Disney's board would want Lassetter as CEO. He is a creative leader, not a Wall Street leader and TWDC needs both. I can't believe I'm saying this...they need someone closer to Eisner or Jeff Bewkes. Someone who can corale the creatives and the analysts. I can't believe anyone on the board would be deluded enough to think Lassetter is that guy.

Yeah, I don't buy that anyone wants Lasseter, and frankly, he shouldn't be CEO. He's a talented man for what he does, and I doubt he wants the responsibility of running the whole company when he can barely manage the responsibilities he has now.

I'm a huge Lasseter fan but I wouldn't want him at the head of the table, for me he's exactly where he's best suited and needed.

I think he could absolutely lead the company creatively but, as a fan of Disney and Pixar animation, I wouldn't want his focus spread thinner across the board as CEO. I'd like him to be more active in the parks, I think WDW could really benefit from Lasseter coming down and taking a really critical look at things. But, for me, animation is where he should be.

I fear Staggs as CEO would just be more of the same as what we've gotten with Iger. He'd be better than Rasulo without question but that's really not saying a lot. I still think the company still needs to be looking at a Walt/Roy or Eisner/Wells-type partnership; someone with a creative vision who can lead the company to new heights alongside a sensible, business-minded partner.

Above all else, whoever it is has to have a love and appreciation for what they've inheriting. Not see Disney as a brand but as a unique living legacy that grows though creative innovation and ingenuity rather than IP acquisitions. Iger hasn't been that person, Rasulo certaintly isn't and I have my doubts that Staggs can be that person.

Let's reframe the John as CEO discussion for a second. We have had this conversation many, many times here. The consensus is always; John's spread too thin already and his talents are best suited to his current position. But what if those pro John board members put their efforts behind another idea; putting John in charge of an executive search committee for new leadership of the company. John may not be the best person to be CEO of the world's largest media conglomerate, but he does value and understand good leadership. Where do you think Disney got the idea to replace Rich Ross with former Warner Brothers head Alan Horn? John Lasseter. John lobbied hard for Alan and won. While Alan is indeed handicapped by Iger's "Tentpole" and ...ugh "Brand Deposit" strategy, he is a good exec who plays well with others and knows how to make a quality film. If John could land a younger outsider of comprable skill, we would be in a good place. However, we will still need to fumigate the Dwarves building, WDI, and TDO.

 

[GoofGoof]

I don't see the fascination with Lasseter although the earnings calls could be quite entertaining. The Wall Street guys do love Staggs. He was popular as CFO.

I guess there really isn't anyone worth considering from ABC or ESPN, but I'm surprised they want to turn the reigns over to Staggs with zero TV experience. It is almost half the company. I guess he can just rely on the segment heads to run that side of the business.

 

[FrankLapidus]

Let's reframe the John as CEO discussion for a second. We have had this conversation many, many times here. The consensus is always; John's spread too thin already and his talents are best suited to his current position. But what if those pro John board members put their efforts behind another idea; putting John in charge of an executive search committee for new leadership of the company. John may not be the best person to be CEO of the world's largest media conglomerate, but he does value and understand what good leadership looks like. Where do you think Disney got the idea to replace Rich Ross with former Warner Brothers head Alan Horn? John Lasseter. John lobbied hard for Alan and won. While Alan is indeed handicapped by Iger's "Tentpole" and ...ugh "Brand Deposit" strategy, he is a good exec who plays well with others and knows how to make a quality film. If John could land an younger outsider of comprable skill, we would be in a good place. However, we will still need to fumigate the Dwarves building, WDI, and TDO.

That would be a giant leap in the right direction. Lasseter gets Disney, if he was given that kind of responsibility then I'd have faith in him to get that decision right and find the right person for the job.