Walt Disney board extends Iger's contract as Chairman and CEO through June 2018

[Mike S]

He'll have Frozen 2, Cars 3, Incredibles 2, Nemo 2, Avengers 3, Star Wars 7 and 8... then add in Shanghai, Avatar and Star Wars Toontown at DLR... By staying on a couple of years longer, Iger is going to be taking credit for a lot of stuff when he finally takes his last paycheck, and no doubt his final bonus will reflect that.

Not looking forward to Cars 3 or Frozen 2, I just can't see how those will turn out well. Incredibles and Nemo 2 could be good as well as Star Wars. Let's see how Avengers 2 is before judging it along with 3. Hope they're better than the first one.

 

[jt04]

You have only an opinion about your relative level of optimism? I would think you would know for a fact whether you are more optimistic than ever.

I have been chastised for speaking factually or in absolutes so I now avoid it if possible. In my opinion.

 

[jt04]

Either that, or as has been suggested, political office.

Somebody suggested he eventually could take the place of warren buffet. That makes sense to me.

 

[BigTxEars]

Democrat. Isn't everyone in Hollywood?

Oh I guess he is getting one less vote then for sure

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Something worth keeping in mind when we talk about succession.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...a642a2-49a8-11e4-891d-713f052086a0_story.html
“Replacing the director is a good start in the right direction,” said Dan Emmett, a former counterassault team leader and Secret Service agent. But, he added, “replacing the director will not be effective unless the entire upper management is replaced. Otherwise it will just be business as usual.”

 

[Magenta Panther]

Oh I guess he is getting one less vote then for sure

Yeah, Iger as a politician, that'll be rich. All his competition would have to do is say "THAT'S the guy who wanted to sell DIsneyland to a foreign country", and bye-bye political ambitions.

 

[BigTxEars]

Not looking forward to Cars 3 or Frozen 2, I just can't see how those will turn out well. Incredibles and Nemo 2 could be good as well as Star Wars. Let's see how Avengers 2 is before judging it along with 3. Hope they're better than the first one.

Give me Avengers 2 and 3 and SW, they can keep the rest of them where they stand. Maybe Incredibles part 2 but I have no real interest in seeing the other ones. Pixar sequels suck more or less IMO, Frozen needs to end with the first one.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Yeah, Iger as a politician, that'll be rich. All his competition would have to do is say "THAT'S the guy who wanted to sell DIsneyland to a foreign country", and bye-bye political ambitions.

Or homeless cast members juxtaposed to Bob's mansion and net worth.

 

[Mike S]

Give me Avengers 2 and 3 and SW, they can keep the rest of them where they stand. Maybe Incredibles part 2 but I have no real interest in seeing the other ones. Pixar sequels suck more or less IMO, Frozen needs to end with the first one.

All Pixar sequels? Hope you don't mean Toy Story 2 & 3. Avengers I'll wait and see. Looking back the first one wasn't really that great, Guardians is the superior film imo. Fully agree about Frozen. It would be best if it stayed as one movie but we all know Disney won't be able to resist the temptation. All we can hope is that they come up with a convincing story that shows the need for a sequel.

 

[BigTxEars]

All Pixar sequels? Hope you don't mean Toy Story 2 & 3. Avengers I'll wait and see. Looking back the first one wasn't really that great, Guardians is the superior film imo. Fully agree about Frozen. It would be best if it stayed as one movie but we all know Disney won't be able to resist the temptation. All we can hope is that they come up with a convincing story that shows the need for a sequel.

I do mean TS 2 & 3 among others (Cars I'm looking at you!), TS2 was OK but TS3 was just bad IMO. I did like Guardians more as well but Avengers was enjoyable enough. Hulk beating Loki like a rag doll alone was worth $5 to me.

I am not sure about Frozen 2, but if they do it please don't make in direct to DVD, those seem to be really bad movies.

 

[BigTxEars]

Not in blue states like California or New York. Labor will tear him apart. They have no interest in electing another Andrew Cuomo.

Looking at who California elects I just sorta guessed they closed their eyes and pulled a lever.

 

[WDW1974]

So, it just seems like the bad news keeps coming, doesn't it?

There had been chatter over the last six months that Iger wanted to stay longer (and likely stay out of the political arena) and that mixed with the BoD's strong desire to not make Jay Rasulo or Tom Staggs the next CEO coupled with the fact SDL may well not open until even later in 2016 (one RUMOR, but highplaced one, says summer 2016 is the current goal) put the nails into this one.

Wall Street loves the guy, which above any other reason I, or anyone else, could possibly give should be reason enough for any semi-intelligent human being to get that he isn't good for the company in any long term sense.

I don't care all that much about his acquisitions even if I think they all are smart financially (again, sorry to the Marvel fanbois,, but the BRANDS don't mesh well together at all ... hence all those DLR surveys like the one I took and wrote about on the Seventh Heaven thread).

I look at the fundamentals ... the foundation of each and every division. And, no, they are not strong looking long term.

From ABC to the Studios to P&R, I can point to the problems his leadership (or lack of vision) has caused that will dog this company well into the 20s.

Micro-spotting, WDW has NEVER in its history been run as poorly and with a lack of vision and respect for its history than it has been under Robert A. Iger. At 43 years old, it doesn't look like a fit Floridian who runs five days a week and has a healthy diet and looks closer to 29, but instead looks like a semi-recovering meth addict who lives in a Clermont trailer park and looks more like a weathered 64.

Again, I am sure the apologists have been out in force for this one. That is to be expected.

 

[WDW1974]

I am guessing he is waiting for
Shanghai, Avatar Land, Star wars land?, Frozen on broadway or the sequel which ever comes out first. That slimy fish. To be honest though what's the next guy going to bring to the table?

SDL? Yes. ... Absolutely. He needs that for his ego ... for his legacy. He has been CEO for almost nine years now and opened as many parks as I have (to be fair, I have attended more openings than he has). Avatar? Star Wars? Not so much. ... And I see no way the latter will be open (at least in its entirety) by 2018 unless they hire UNI Creative to do the work. Frozen will be on Broadway within two years, so no worries at all there.

As to the next guy ... how can that possibly answered until we are at that point and there is a next guy?

 

[WDW1974]

Great news for the company and stock holders.

And for BRAND advocates, shills and condiments everywhere!

 

[WDW1974]

Thats total baloney. Just about every acquisition Iger has made will pan out long term and grow the company dramatically. The man is building theme parks while the late to the party competition is building themed areas. Disney films are getting to the point of being constant hits almost every time out. The brand has never been stronger, even when Walt was around he was never this successful.

Yes, you aren't a troll. Bob Iger wouldn't have a job and hundreds of millions of dollars if Walt Disney didn't create so much of what Bob is working to water down, Walmart or destroy. Walt wouldn't be allowed employment at his namesake company today, which is the greatest indictment of current leadership that one could ever think of.

You have no clue what the long term holds, yet you spout like a leaky bottle of ranch dressing on the shelf of the Dollar Tree in Kissimmee.

Building theme parks? No. That's what Michael Eisner, Frank Wells, Card Walker, Ron Miller, Donn Tatum etc did. ... Bob has built no parks. He is desperately trying to get one open in mainland China ... one that would never have been possible if not for the work done by his predecessor.

Disney films? Hah. They barely put out any films. ... Yes, Frozen was a huge success this year ... a once in a generation cultural touchstone (sorta like the EIGHT Harry Potter films ... or the SIX Star Wars films). ... I guess, you are talking about Marvel films ... or Pixar films.

Short term? Ha, ha. Did I mention the company under his watch has grown in value from just under 50 billion to 150 billion? You guys can hate the man all you want, its pointless and without merit, but hes the best CEO in America for a reason. He deserves his success.

How much of that is REAL value? How much is paper value? Hell, how much is value created by buying back stock (the oldest trick in the book, prostitution aside)?

The best CEO in America? Sure, if you're Wall Street, an institutional investor ... or a BRAND advocate.

 

[WDW1974]

This is such B-S! WDW is not crumbling, nor is Iger trying to bring about its downfall.

...

But to say he's bringing about the downfall, totally ignores everything that's happening right now, with construction going on or scheduled for every one of the 4 major parks and a complete re-build of DTD. I just don't get how that can be considered "downfall"!

I'm guessing that you never visited WDW prior to 2000.

I'm guessing that you have no clue about the level of investment in WDW annually both before and since The Weatherman took over as CEO (@ParentsOf4 can help you with this as he sleeps with the numbers under his pillow!)

I'm guessing that while you credit Iger with making Disney MORE profitable than it has ever been that you also don't realize how incredibly cheap that makes him with regards to investing in the product.

And I'm guessing that you have a fundamental lack of understanding what is going on at WDW when you talk about what is happening now or the future in all four parks and then tout the rebuilding of a lifestyle/shopping center as one of your major points as to how Iger is doing things right in the swamps.

Damn, I need a vacation!!!

 

[Sped2424]

SDL? Yes. ... Absolutely. He needs that for his ego ... for his legacy. He has been CEO for almost nine years now and opened as many parks as I have (to be fair, I have attended more openings than he has). Avatar? Star Wars? Not so much. ... And I see no way the latter will be open (at least in its entirety) by 2018 unless they hire UNI Creative to do the work. Frozen will be on Broadway within two years, so no worries at all there.

As to the next guy ... how can that possibly answered until we are at that point and there is a next guy?

Wait avatar wont be open by 2018? I Thought the land had a 2017 opening..

 

[WDW1974]

This I don't agree with. I think Disney's marketing and promotion of the MCU has been stellar and Marvel could not have done nearly as well on its own. They might have made the same exact films, but they wouldn't have been as successful.

Marvel wasn't on its own. It was letting Paramount Pictures distribute and promote the films.

I think to say they wouldn't have been as successful is taking a a very big leap.

 

[WDW1974]

I doubt Iger sticking around has anything to do with the parks. He's a media guy.

Not quite, but largely true.

He wants to open SDL. That is a HUGE mostly untapped market for Disney. He wants to soak in the credit and adulation he'll get (if nothing collapses or falls apart due to shoddy workmanship) and see his name on that dedication plaque. This is a very important deal for him.

I do wonder if the park weren't so badly behind schedule if he'd still be staying ...

 

[WDW1974]

Under Iger, Disney has repurchased a tad over 1 billion shares of Disney stock, worth a bit over $88 billion at today's closing price.

Perhaps that has more than a bit to do with Disney's current market cap?

Thanks.

Just thanks!