Predictions for Disney in 2023

[Elijah Abrams]

Whomever that was it appears they don't understand how Hulu is run today (ie under Disney control) and what is happening with D+ (ie Disney buying the remain stake of BAMTech last month for live streaming on D+). All leading to the merging of Hulu and D+ in 2024.

I don’t think Disney, who specializes mostly in entertainment and amusement, would be able to handle making contract negotiations and renewals with the firms that own the linear TV channels that Hulu Live offers. That would be a job a TV provider, like Comcast, would handle greatly.

Also, corporations can’t always expect things they have planned, like the Hulu stake plan, to go their way/the way they intended it. There is always a change in plans, even at the last minute.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

I predict that there will be widespread criticism of the parks yet they will continue to be rammed .

 

[Disney Irish]

I don’t think Disney, who specializes mostly in entertainment and amusement, would be able to handle making contract negotiations and renewals with the firms that own the linear TV channels that Hulu Live offers. That would be a job a TV provider, like Comcast, would handle greatly.

I understand this site focuses on mostly the theme parks, but Disney is not just Theme Parks. They have many smart people working for them that have been in Hollywood for many years. They have lots of knowledge and experience in all aspects of TV. They have been negotiating TV contracts with linear TV providers for more than 40 years due to having linear TV channels of their own like Disney Channel, Freeform, ESPN, ABC, etc. So they 100% have the experience and would be able to handle it. But lets say they didn't have the experience as you believe, they can hire Hollywood lawyers that do have that experience and would be able to handle any contract negotiations with TV providers. That is how this business works, if you don't have the experience internally you hire someone with that experience to perform that job.

Also, corporations can’t always expect things they have planned, like the Hulu stake plan, to go their way/the way they intended it. There is always a change in plans, even at the last minute.

Corporations run on contracts that are signed between different parties. If the contract says that a certain action, such as buying remaining shares or stake in an asset by a certain date, then that is what is to happen with few exceptions. So yes they can expect things to go their way when there is a contract in-place for said plan to be executed.

Disney will and can expect to be buying the remain piece of Hulu in 2024 from Comcast as that is how the contract was written when Disney bought 21st Century. It makes no sense financially for Disney to walk away from Hulu at this point.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

I understand this site focuses on mostly the theme parks, but Disney is not just Theme Parks. They have many smart people working for them that have been in Hollywood for many years. They have lots of knowledge and experience in all aspects of TV. They have been negotiating TV contracts with linear TV providers for more than 40 years due to having linear TV channels of their own like Disney Channel, Freeform, ESPN, ABC, etc. So they 100% have the experience and would be able to handle it. But lets say they didn't have the experience as you believe, they can hire Hollywood lawyers that do have that experience and would be able to handle any contract negotiations with TV providers. That is how this business works, if you don't have the experience internally you hire someone with that experience to perform that job.

Does Disney have the skills to be a TV provider like Comcast and Charter? I don’t think so.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Does Disney have the skills to be a TV provider like Comcast and Charter? I don’t think so.

I’m not following this argument, they’ve been a TV provider for decades, ABC, several ESPN channels, several Disney channels, FX, SEC network, natgeo, etc… over 100 channels worldwide in dozens of languages, many of the channels being sports channels that do live broadcasts daily.

They may not be the biggest but they’ve already been doing what you are arguing they can’t for years.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

I’m not following this argument, they’ve been a TV provider for decades, ABC, several ESPN channels, several Disney channels, FX, SEC network, natgeo, etc… over 100 channels worldwide in dozens of languages, many of the channels being sports channels that do live broadcasts daily.

They may not be the biggest but they’ve already been doing what you are arguing they can’t for years.

Not that kind of TV provider. I meant the one that makes carriage agreements with TV channels (Nick, TNT, MTV, AMC, etc.), offers TV via cable or satellite, and you get in your house. Basically DirecTV, Charter, , and Dish.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Not that kind of TV provider. I meant the one that makes carriage agreements with TV channels (Nick, TNT, MTV, AMC, etc.), offers TV via cable or satellite, and you get in your house. Basically DirecTV, Charter, , and Dish.

Gotcha, that’s an easy fix though, just hire the people that work(ed) for those companies and have the experience to fill any holes.

Hulu is going to be integral to D+ so I don’t think there’s any way they sell it off, my moneys on them buying the last 1/3 they don’t already own from Comcast and fully integrating it into D+.

 

[Disney Irish]

Does Disney have the skills to be a TV provider like Comcast and Charter? I don’t think so.

Not that kind of TV provider. I meant the one that makes carriage agreements with TV channels (Nick, TNT, MTV, AMC, etc.), offers TV via cable or satellite, and you get in your house. Basically DirecTV, Charter, , and Dish.

First you make it seem like this some unique set of "skills" that only a few select people have, like its unique to only people who work for Comcast, Charter, Dish, etc. This is not a unique skill and its mostly done by lawyers, the very same set of lawyers Disney already has.

Second actually yes they do. They've been part of those negotiations for decades just on the flip side. So they know what it takes to get the deal done. Disney has VERY capable lawyers that can negotiate both sides of carriage agreements.

And as stated previously even if they don't have someone with those "skills" internally they can hire people that do have those "skills". Its not very complex and not something only Comcast can do.

 

[Disney Irish]

Gotcha, that’s an easy fix though, just hire the people that work(ed) for those companies and have the experience to fill any holes.

Hulu is going to be integral to D+ so I don’t think there’s any way they sell it off, my moneys on them buying the last 1/3 they don’t already own from Comcast and fully integrating it into D+.

Exactly, the writing has been on the wall since Disney bought 21st Century that the plan is to merge Hulu and D+ at some point once Disney buys the remaining 33% from Comcast in 2024.

 

[Haymarket]

I'm thinking they'll announce some expansions to the Shanghai resort, e.g., a third hotel and bringing Pandora to the park.

 

[mharrington]

-Spin off ESPN and/or ABC? Incredibly stupid. These are complementary assets. ESPN has no place in betting. That sullies everything. ABC is a very complementary asset. You don't throw away a legacy like that.

I heard a rumor about Disney selling both ESPN and ABC, according to, of all things, Wells Fargo. It was quoted in DisneyDining.com. As far-fetched as it may be, Bob Iger coming back seemed far-fetched, too, but it happened.

 

[Disney Irish]

I heard a rumor about Disney selling both ESPN and ABC, according to, of all things, Wells Fargo. It was quoted in DisneyDining.com. As far-fetched as it may be, Bob Iger coming back seemed far-fetched, too, but it happened.

This isn't a rumor, its not even anything from any "insider", ie its nothing. Its Wall Street Analysts predicting what they'd like to see happen now that Iger has returned. Its sort of like this thread, just wild predictions with no actual clue if it'll happen.

Wall Street Analysts have been predicting for about 15+ years that Disney would be spinning off ESPN, and yet it hasn't happened. And while nothing is impossible, I highly doubt Disney would consider getting rid of ABC, especially since Iger came from ABC.

So yeah I'm betting that both stay as part of Disney long after Iger leaves.

 

[mharrington]

This isn't a rumor, its not even anything from any "insider", ie its nothing. Its Wall Street Analysts predicting what they'd like to see happen now that Iger has returned. Its sort of like this thread, just wild predictions with no actual clue if it'll happen.

Wall Street Analysts have been predicting for about 15+ years that Disney would be spinning off ESPN, and yet it hasn't happened. And while nothing is impossible, I highly doubt Disney would consider getting rid of ABC, especially since Iger came from ABC.

So yeah I'm betting that both stay as part of Disney long after Iger leaves.

Why then do these analysts keep rumor-mongering like this? Do they just have some kind of vendetta against Disney and feel it should taken down a peg or two?

 

[Disney Irish]

Why then do these analysts keep rumor-mongering like this? Do they just have some kind of vendetta against Disney and feel it should taken down a peg or two?

Its called click-bate, its the primary reason. Its so you and other people who follow Disney click on the article and generate revenue for their site.

I'm sure there are some that really believe it would be in Disney's best interest. But they don't make money off of what they believe is in Disney's best interest. They are trying to get the most value out of their portfolio.

 

[mharrington]

Its called click-bate, its the primary reason. Its so you and other people who follow Disney click on the article and generate revenue for their site.

I'm sure there are some that really believe it would be in Disney's best interest. But they don't make money off of what they believe is in Disney's best interest. They are trying to get the most value out of their portfolio.

You would think, though, that analysts, especially those from Wall Street, would not stoop to something like clickbait.

 

[Disney Irish]

You would think, though, that analysts, especially those from Wall Street, would not stoop to something like clickbait.

Their job is to make money, and that includes driving traffic to their site.

Also as stated there are those that really might believe its in Disney's best interest to dump ESPN and ABC. This would be in order get more value out of the company by lowering their debt and to get the stock price to increase quickly. Because at the end of the day its all about getting more return on investment in the stock, a higher stock price means more money they can make.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

This isn't a rumor, its not even anything from any "insider", ie its nothing. Its Wall Street Analysts predicting what they'd like to see happen now that Iger has returned. Its sort of like this thread, just wild predictions with no actual clue if it'll happen.

Wall Street Analysts have been predicting for about 15+ years that Disney would be spinning off ESPN, and yet it hasn't happened. And while nothing is impossible, I highly doubt Disney would consider getting rid of ABC, especially since Iger came from ABC.

So yeah I'm betting that both stay as part of Disney long after Iger leaves.

Do you also doubt Disney would get rid of ESPN?

 

[Disney Irish]

Do you also doubt Disney would get rid of ESPN?

I can't predict the future, but as of now yes I believe Disney will keep both ESPN and ABC. ESPN is a cash cow for Disney especially with the new deals they've made with casino gaming companies like Caesar's which is worth Billions. You get rid of ESPN and that revenue goes away. Now obviously some will disagree because they don't want Disney anywhere near gambling, but we're talking about money here not how someone feels.

Also ESPN is part of its streaming package, so it wouldn't make sense to dump that at the moment.

So yeah at least in the short term, 3-5 years, I see Disney keeping ESPN. I could end up being wrong, but this is my opinion right now based on the current state of the company.

 

[Robbiem]

Iger extends his contract.

this is a cert. Now he is back Bob I will spin out his departure for longer than Frank Sinatra. He won’t go on his own unless its being carried out in a box

 

[networkpro]

I heard a rumor about Disney selling both ESPN and ABC, according to, of all things, Wells Fargo. It was quoted in DisneyDining.com. As far-fetched as it may be, Bob Iger coming back seemed far-fetched, too, but it happened.

Wells Fargo ? That 3.7 billion fine for illegal Consumer Banking practices doesn't lead any credence to that speculation.