Cedar Fair looking to layoff spongebob and friends

[XGatorHead 8904]

The only bad thing about leaving Nick is that it was unique. I don't think any other park had a whole Nickelodeon area.

Well, Carowinds, California's Great America, Kings Dominion and Canada's Wonderland would beg to differ... as would Nickelodeon Universe in Minnesota!

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Just saw this on KD Twitter

"50% off all Nickelodeon and Scooby merchandise! from big stuffed spongebobs, t-shirts, to the cant live without inflateable scooby chairs!"

Looks like Scooby will also be joing the unemployed maybe

[mtl2013]

Goodbye to the nickelodeon universe. It was nice for the kids, but to me. it doesnt really matter. Besides, I liked it better when the whole kids area was hannah barbara themed. I liked it more. Just like the actual shows. Old cartoons totally beat out the newer ones on nickelodeon.

[The Interpreter]

Whatever may replace NU at whatever time will require its own licensing, unless it is in the public domain or a property that Cedar Fair already has the rights to.

Terpy, who adds the license fee for Snoopy is not peanuts

[LongliveKingsCobra]

What would be Public Domain?

[The Interpreter]

Generic characters or fairy tale characters so old that no one has the exclusive rights to them anymore, such as Humpty Dumpty, etc.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

lol Humpty Dumpty and the haunted castle....no strike that....wall!

lol

[The Interpreter]

Scooby can stay with the Haunted Castle, for now. Licensing for that comes through Sally, the ride's designer.

I do think Sin-derella works during Haunted Hallowboo or whatever it is they call it these days...isn't she on the bed during one of the big shows there?

[LongliveKingsCobra]

sure?

I have no clue what you are talking about.... I just smile and nod polietly. When does the license end? 2011?

[The Interpreter]

Terpy, speaking carefully:

When Cedar Fair acquired Paramount Parks effective June 30, 2006, it was said the Nick license had four years left.

[LongliveKingsCobra]

ah, so next year...Hm, I am to think that for the right price CF might just buy the rights again.....

[The Interpreter]

The "right price" is apparently not available. Nick rights are held by Viacom, a company that once owned CBS and Paramount Parks. They watched as Cedar Fair paid CBS $1.24 billion for the parks. By all accounts, they want a very large sum for a renewal.

And you might want to go back and read what I said. As of June 30, 2006, supposedly there were four years left on the Nick license. Four years from then would end in mid-season. Not four more "seasons." Four years. If there were another season left on the license, why would the merchandise be available at such deeply discounted prices?

[LongliveKingsCobra]

Oh, I see. Well then...bye bye nick? I guess.

[The Interpreter]

A deal could still happen. I learned a long time ago that in the business world, the opera isn't over until the contract is agreed to and the signatures appear. These days, even that isn't always final...see Six Flags, for example.

[Diamondback FOF]

Scooby can stay with the Haunted Castle, for now. Licensing for that comes through Sally, the ride's designer.

When is the licensing for Scooby up?

[The Interpreter]

As far as I know, that information has not been made public.

[KIfan1980]

And you might want to go back and read what I said. As of June 30, 2006, supposedly there were four years left on the Nick license. Four years from then would end in mid-season. Not four more "seasons." Four years. If there were another season left on the license, why would the merchandise be available at such deeply discounted prices?

I'm confused as to why anyone in the amusement park business would sign an agreement/contract that would expire in mid-season?

Then again, I'm also confused as to why CF would pay $1.24B for the old Paramount parks.

[The Interpreter]

Sign an agreement? Let's see:

Viacom owned Paramount Parks and Kings Island. Installs Nick Universe...Viacom splits into two units, one of which is CBS, the other Viacom. CBS ends up with the theme parks and sells them. And you'd wonder why it may be that the agreement expires mid-season? Gee, I wonder whose best interests that would have been in?

Would this be the same group of people that started a Winterfest back up right before they sold out? Signed a very long term agreement with Coke AFTER it was announced the parks were for sale?

[KIfan1980]

I knew there had to be a *good* explanation

[The Interpreter]

From an otherwise unrelated article:

...The Nickelodeon brand would mark a shift in strategy and target audience, said George Van Horn, a senior analyst with Los Angeles-based market research firm IBISWorld.

Instead of appealing to a limited tourist market of thrill seekers who are searching for new attractions, a character-driven theme park with a brand such as Nickeldon would draw parents and children from a broader regional base. Other theme parks that have taken that approach have faired better during the recession, according to IBISWorld research, Van Horn said. ...

(spelling as found)

http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/view...cfm?recID=33686

[raptor]

I guessed kids and parents have changed over the years, when I was a kid, I didn't give a crap about what cartoon character was plastered around a park, all I cared about is cool rides, a pretty park and good snacks

[yournamehere]

everyone at KDfansite thinks nick will be leaving because everythings 50% off but this is from KDs twitter......

"Happy 10th birthday to SpongeBob SquarePants! we are celebrating with 50% off all Nick merch!" so thats proabibly the case with KI too.

[Beast1979]

I wonder how they will react when it's still 50% off in October.....

[raptor]

I don't think that means much, I have no idea if nick is going or not, but if it was, and they were trying to get rid of merch, they would send anything out on twitter to help sell it and they wouldn't want to let people know that things would be changing till after they have sold all they can