Analysts think NBC may unload Universal theme parks

C'mon, Bronfman.....you *know* you want 'em....

Once you've got the bug, there's NO escape....ask Ed Hart...;)
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Why ditch them? I think everyone agrees that the big theme parks aren't always cash cows, but they don't appear to be losing money, so why not hold on to them?

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Think of the marketing possibilities...they could serve GE Meatballs and Spaghetti at the food stands. (bad pun in reference to their logo) ;)

Anyway, if they were all into Six Sigma, the must have either originally planned to convert them, and discovered that it would be too difficult, or they never intended to keep the parks...

I smell something strange here.

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"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

Why not just look to their competition? Aren't there "watch this new show on ABC" posters and other advertisments all over Disney properties? If nothing else, its one giant marketing opportunity for NBC. That'll seriously degrade some of the theming at IoA and the other parks (IMO) but it still makes sense for them to hold on to the parks.

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Brett
Resident Launch Whore

Jeff....based on this news, I'm pretty sure NBC considers the park business to be too much of a sideline, and potentially a distraction to the main focus....MEDIA. While I agree that there are significant opportunities presented by having such a valuable property (and a money maker to boot), I can kinda see the need to "maintain focus", esp. in the media biz....;)

I think that depends entirely how "hands on" the parent company needs to be. So far the parks have managed to do OK despite those French idiots (not saying all French people are idiots, just the ones running Vivendi into the ground). I mean, as a percentage of revenue, what would that $1 billion account for? Put the right people in place, watch their bottom line, put a peacock next to the spinning globe. :)

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Coupling - The Ride.

Sounds promising!

I say NBC should turn the parks over to G.E. G.E. has many different interests ranging from the light bulb to products in the aviation/healthcare/automotive/energy/transportation/retail industries. I see G.E.'s name on the side of mobile trailers to Self Storage facilities and consumer electronics. Let's not forget, G.E. brings good things to life... I also think G.E. could have a better marketing oppurtunity than NBC, just think about the light bulbs they would use at Universal Studios.

Uh... GE already own NBC, and therefore will already own the parks.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Yes, I realize G.E. already owns NBC. NBC is a subsidiary of G.E. The Universal Parks would become a subsidiary of G.E. rather than a subsidiary of NBC.

Expanding on Wahoo Skipper's comment - how about... "Six Sigma - the Ride!"

Just FYI, GE consumer electronics are actually made by another company (a French company I think) using the GE name under license; the same company also makes RCA consumer electronics.

GE usually wants to have the #1 or #2 company in its industry, and may consider the theme park biz, marketing opportunities aside, just too far astray from its other businesses to stay in.

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"Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"
Dr. Leonard McCoy