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The Joe Pomp Show
How Disney Tried (and Failed) at Owning a Pro Sports Team
Jan 2, 2025
Explore Disney's ambitious yet troubled venture into professional sports ownership. Discover the highs and lows of owning the Mighty Ducks and the Anaheim Angels, including the astonishing financial losses and mismanagement issues. Uncover the hilarious details of a $450,000 pregame intro that seems too outrageous to be real. Dive into the conflict between making shareholders happy and winning games, revealing the challenges that ultimately led to Disney's exit from the sports world.
09:04
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Quick takeaways
- Disney's venture into sports ownership revealed the struggles of balancing profitability with competitive performance, ultimately leading to significant financial losses.
- The company's decision-making, heavily influenced by shareholder expectations, often compromised the on-field success of the teams they owned.
Deep dives
Disney's Venture into Professional Sports
The Walt Disney Company attempted to create a sports empire in the 1990s by acquiring the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Anaheim Angels, riding the wave of their successful film franchises. The decision to enter professional sports was spurred by the success of 'The Mighty Ducks' movie, leading Disney to invest in an NHL expansion team that became the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1993. Despite an enthusiastic start marked by high attendance and initial financial success, issues quickly arose with management and team performance, contributing to Disney's struggles. Ultimately, the Ducks were sold in 2005 after a significant decline in stock prices and setbacks with the franchise's management, highlighting the complexities of operating sports teams for a corporation focused primarily on shareholder returns.
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Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode