SSE has a sponsor

[tirian]

Just thought you'd like to know...

SSE has a new sponsor. Although Epcot leadership is keeping a tight lid on the sponsor's identity, the sponsorship is no mere rumor. Offices on the second level of the post-show building have been cleaned out, carpet is being replaced, and plans are underway for the post-show itself. Furthermore, my department has received notice that "SSE has a new sponsor"; and thought we have not been told who the sponsor is, we are making necessary arrangements for the company.

P.S. Disney was courting IBM and Siemens Electronics, among others, as potential sponsors.

 

[mkt]

Sprint Nextel?

 

[CThaddeus]

Glad to hear it. I hope this means enhancements to Spaceship Earth, as well. It deserves to be spruced up and not gutted as others might suggest. Long live Spaceship Earth...the last of the great original Future World attractions!

 

[tirian]

Actually, while it might be Sprint, I never heard anything about them except here on these boards. The information in my first post comes from what I was offically told at work, not rumors that I read online. Still, with SSE's focus on communication, the Sprint/Nextel sponsorship makes sense.

On a tangent, I heard that the sponsorship costs a little over $1 million/year. That's probably why Disney had a difficult time finding a sponsor. True, every major company could theoretically afford this; but when you have to answer to shareholders, every million bucks counts!

 

[tirian]

Glad to hear it. I hope this means enhancements to Spaceship Earth, as well. It deserves to be spruced up and not gutted as others might suggest. Long live Spaceship Earth...the last of the great original Future World attractions!

SSE is still the most visited attraction at WDW because it's at the front of the park; and the first half of the attraction still inspires Guests; one line-level CM even received a request for the attraction's soundtrack!

Let's hope that the new sponsor demands the wand comes DOWN. (Okay, sponsors don't actually have that much authority...but still...I can dream, can't I?)

 

[Captain Hank]

Good to hear this! It'll be good to see something (anything!) in the post-show. I'm also interested to see if/how the new sponser will change the attraction to fit their needs. I just hope it stays true to the original. Fill us in when you can, tirian.

 

[MrNonacho]

My money's on Siemens. If it is them, I look forward to giggling immaturely when they are mentioned on the ride soundtrack.

 

[PlaneJane]

My money's on Siemens. If it is them, I look forward to giggling immaturely when they are mentioned on the ride soundtrack.

LOL so will I

 

[MissM]

Hopefully this means we'll get more then WALLS and an exit on the way out. Oy it looked so cheap last time I rode it a couple months ago. Man. Very sad state of affairs.
-m

 

[nyfrenchy]

My bet is on VONAGE.

 

[mousermerf]

SSE is still the most visited attraction at WDW because it's at the front of the park; and the first half of the attraction still inspires Guests; one line-level CM even received a request for the attraction's soundtrack!

Let's hope that the new sponsor demands the wand comes DOWN. (Okay, sponsors don't actually have that much authority...but still...I can dream, can't I?)

Actually, they do. Two examples:

Kodak's contract stipulated that the ride be redone by a certain date. Journey into Imagination was actually still relatively popular when it closed, but the contract stated the ride was to be redone, so it was, and Kodak got a horrible backlash from it - I've heard it was the most mail on a single subject they've ever recieved.

Exxonmobil was extremely protective of Energy's appearance, demanding it be repainted frequently. Also, changes to cast costuming had to be approved through Exxon (where they refused a shorts option because it was "improper" and rejected blue pants with the new yellow shirts because blue didn't appeal to them).

 

[MickeyTigg]

This certainly is good news...hopefully who ever it is will quickly develop a plan for the post-show area...I agree, that area is depressing.

 

[BeachClubVillas]

My bet is on VONAGE.

As long as they don't play that horrible music from the commercial on the way down. I might jump right out of the ride! :lol:

Seriously, though, this is great news. I can't wait to see those walls come down in the post-show and hopefully see some sprucing up in the second half of the ride.

 

[joel_maxwell]

lets all be thankful if it isnt Nextel........ all thru the attraction you would here "beep-de-beep"; most annoying ringtone/ alert on the planet

if it is a communications company, i would say siemens. im not sure vonage would throw down that kind of jack since they are newbies to the market (at least i think, unless it is an older company; new name)

if it was a computer co........... i would want Apple over IBM, their creativity blows IBM and Microsoft away and the post show (even though they might not have control) would really be neat.

i guess we will wait and see.

 

[tracyandalex]

i too am very happy to hear about this. i really hope sse gets some sprucing up and a post show, but i really hope the ride it self is not changed. i love sse it is a classic. i do think that at the end of the ride something more up to date could be added. i hope this ends up being good news, i think it will.


tracy

 

[jonhix]

I used to work with WDW sponsorship marketing, a presenting sponsorship of an Epcot attraction costs at least $3 million per year, up to $10 million for a major attraction like MS or Test Track. I'd assume SSE is at least $5 million, depending on how they integrate the sponsor into the attraction and/or post show.

The lack of sponsors during the past decade (Metlife, Mobil, AT&T, United Technologies) really hurt Epcot for a while, until Disney deceided they needed to fund imrpovements on their own nickel (Living Seas, Soarin).

 

[bigorangeandy]

How about Verizon, then we could have the "Can you hear me now" guy popping up during the ride. I can see it now; Rome is burning, and out pops "Can you hear me now" guy, or behind the Bell inventing the telephone. Seriously it is good news to hear about a sponsor it will make the old ATT area into something other than a walled up empty area.

 

[CRO-Magnum]

That certainly could be true.

On a tangent, I heard that the sponsorship costs a little over $1 million/year.

It's entirely possible on an old attraction like SSE the fee has dropped so far, but I'd be surprised, especially considering Disney's desire to revamp or replace the attraction.

I'm trying to do this from memory so my numbers could be off a few million either way, but Kraft Foods paid $86 milliion to sponsor The Land for the first decade along with assisting Disney with external financing for the construction of Epcot. I have heard that sponsorships now can range from several to tens of millions of dollars per year. Disney ended their relationship with Kraft when Kraft refused to pay $220 million to continue their sponsorship for another 10 years including facility and attraction upgrades (a family member was directly involved in the negotiation). I heard Nestle paid even more. GM paid $324 million for Test Track and continued sponsorship (although friends at GM told me the real number was closer to $450M).'

Great information! Thank-you for sharing.

 

[jonhix]

Sponsorships at Epcot at very expensive, but GM spend no where even close to $300 million on its 10 year sponsorship extension for Test Track. Still very very high, but a fraction of that estimate. I have the actual figures, trust me.

 

[Laura]

Ooh I'm excited at the thought of a post-show area for SSE! Its so depressing to walk into an empty room after the ride.