Where were we? Oh yeah. Getting to my favorite part -- the 'personalities' that make this business so MAGICal. Let's start with the monster under the bed for members of TWDC's BoD.
--- Iger remaining: Well, he thought about politics, but didn't fare well with Bernie Sanders or his decision to meet (and then not meet and then not release any statement on the travel ban) with the new White House resident. His attempts to be a player in the NFL failed miserably. And he conveniently removed the two men he was said to be grooming to take over (my strong suspicion is he never intended for either of them to come close). So now he is sitting pretty as he looks at joining the Billionaire Bois Club pretty soon. Then he plants a story with the WSJ (yes, he did) saying he'd think about staying longer than 2018 if he was asked. I am not really sure where this one is going to wind up. There are Board members who have been vocal about no more extensions and no more unneeded succession drama, yet they seem intent on going there. They make this almost like replacing a Pope, like there aren't many different options and directions out there and it really is ridiculous.
--- Burke rumor: The UNI fanbois (still fighting some nonexistent war) have apparently been telling the world that Disney approached Steve Burke about replacing Iger and he laughed maniacally because he has a better job with a better company (Really? Ya sure about that?) While feelers went out to Burke, much like Viacom had feelers out to Jeff Katzenberg a while back, that is as far as things went. Burke is happy in his job and, frankly, (here's where the UNI fanbois start peeing in their Spidey pull-ups and getting all nasty) Disney would be a step up for him as they have a much more varied portfolio of business units than Comcast does. And most are firing on all cylinders now. But while a fanboi can list five reasons why Disney would want him, Disney can list more reasons why they wouldn't. Beyond that, even if this were true, Burke has an ego (a deserved one). He isn't going to be sitting around waiting for Iger to do his victory lap to take over a year from June. If Disney offered him the job and he accepted, he'd start next week and Iger would be paid a little extra to go away. Neither is happening. But this idea that Burke was offered the job and turned it down just isn't reality. But maybe we should go ask a blogger ...
--- Mark Woodbury: while we are on the subject of UNI, Woodbury was recently elevated to the No. 2 role in their parks business. I've heard UNI fanbois crowing and all I can think is ''they really don't get THEIR company or Woodbury's role." Talk to anyone at UNI-Creative and you would think the man is Satan (that role is being occupied by Steve Bannon these days!) He is widely disliked to a Bruce Vaughn level or higher. And his decisions on too many screen-based attractions and too much repetition have kept Creative from upping Disney overall. Sure, anything Potter is among the best creative product out there ... but after that the level drops quite a bit. WDI may spend like our defense department, but overall their product is still better. Any anyone looking at the plans for UNI-Beijing and seeing what is actually happening would realize this is almost as cut and paste as TDL was in 1983.
