Billionaire Saban in Talks to Buy Muppet Makers

[beaker]

Originally posted by radionate
Cory,

I'm not trying to be ugly, but have you considered acutally clicking the little quote button when you are quoting someone instead of paraphrasing what they say. Its more valid that way, we will know exactly who you are quoting, and you aren't as likely to bend what people have said as you did above. I didn't see Luke making this comment anywhere on the thread. NOWHERE did he say that Disney were in on this. (unless I'm just blind)

Nate, and you say *I'm* on crack?

 

[Eric1701]

Hello All!

If they are taking bids for the company, I think all of us fans should start saving our money. I have $100 to start. Only a few more million to go.

Eric

PS Ok, I might be dreaming, but the Muppets taught me when I was young to have dreams.

 

[radionate]

Originally posted by beaker
Nate, and you say *I'm* on crack?

Well, at least you went back and correctly quoted Luke. Thanks for editing your post to CORRECTLY quote what Luke was saying.

 

[danielromens]

<<<It's actually very unlikely he'd just do this all on his own, especially if he'll be getting Kirch too, although it's still likely he could end up with Kirch and not Henson. Much more likely he'd find a partner or license the company. He may have the chequebook but he doesn't have some of the other resources and know how that the bigger media companies have. Someone like Disney or Warners might be a lot more restricitive about what they let Henson do and spend, but they'd have distribution, licensing, promotion and facilities immediately in place and the Muppets would get it all for free.

I do believe there are other bidders, but you are likely looking at other smaller companies and maybe Fox/News Corp (who don't exactly get on with Saban). I really think Saban would get a well known partner or license the company at profit and it could also be argued that Saban owning the company might affect the longevity of the Fox TV show deal.>>>
____________________________________________________

I do see your point Luke, but it would seem to me that Saban did just fine distributing and getting the Power Rangers and Digimon out among the public eye. Almost annoyingly so. Also with the other things that he owns I'm sure he could find facilities and I'm sure the Henson kids would use the Chaplin Lot to shoot Muppet and Henson work, at least it makes sence that they would.

Also, weren't Saban and News Corp partners on a few things? After all many of his shows began on Fox kids. Either way I really do feel he'd actually be better than Disney. Yeah Disney will put them in there theme parks, but as what? A way to make a buck. People here seem to be blind at the fact that Disney will make and extort money out of these characters just as much as anyone else. I shudder to think of the other horrifying dolls that they will make. Their attempts have been terrible. People just here the term muppet ride or swedish chef restarant and they get all tingly in the pants. What about the outrageous prices they'll have to shell out for the one day pace or the eight bucks they'll pay for a chef burger that tastes no different from a 3.00 ******* whopper at the BK. Come on people.

 

[Drtooth]

Originally posted by danielromens
Yeah Disney will put them in there theme parks, but as what? A way to make a buck. People here seem to be blind at the fact that Disney will make and extort money out of these characters just as much as anyone else. I shudder to think of the other horrifying dolls that they will make. Their attempts have been terrible. People just here the term muppet ride or swedish chef restarant and they get all tingly in the pants.

Of course there is always the worse alternative. A company could buy Henson just for the sake of buying Henson, and say"well, I bought them," and toss them away. Viacom did the EXACT same thing when they bought Terrytoons. Has anyone here heard of The Mighty Heroes, James Hound, or Astronut? No? You get what I'm saying then. L'oreal once bought some cartoon production company (Filmation, I think) and kept them obscure.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather an overdose of tacky Muppet Stuff, then have to search around E-bay for a freakin' used coloring book!

 

[Beauregard]

Re: My response to a Saban Buyout....

Originally posted by Drtooth
NOOO!!! NO!!! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

PLEASE!!! ANYONE BUT THEM!! ANY ONE!!! EVEN VIACOM!!! NOT THEM FOR THE LOVE OF CRAP!!!! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US!!!! THE MUPPETS ARE GOING TO TV HECK!!! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!!!!!!


huff puff... man do I feel better

I may disagree with Drtooth about the origins of Gonzo, but this I do agree with.

The Power Rangers for the love of MouMouSha, Sonelkipe and everyone else I can't think of right now.

Here I have been, argueing about where Gonzo came from and if Cantus Rock should be alowed to live on the planet Kozbine while The Power Rangers have been buy Miss Piggy.

I can't belive it. I was screaming when Disney were buying , but now I think that sounds like a good idea. IF YOU'RE OUT THERE MICKEY, HELP US POOR FANS OUT.

Does this mean that, whatshisname, will have control of what the Muppets do? What films they make etc?

For example could he decide that Mrs Piggy is going to chuck Kerm and fall in love with Pepe, that would hapen in the next film????????

OK. I have £ 4.30 to add to the pooling of money so that is how much, Uh Oh.

I think I'm going to cry,
Beauregard

 

[Beauregard]

Originally posted by Luke
MICKY HAS NOT MISSED OUT ON THE MUPPETS

Nobody has clicked onto why Saban wants the Muppets, and the simple reason is HE doesn't want them at all. He knows Disney wants them but they aren't prepared to pay $300 Million to own them. So whats he going to do ? Well he's going to try and get the Muppets at the cheap price and then go and license them to Disney at a profit. That means Disney will be making and carrying the shows, making the theme park rides, licensing the merchandise, distributing the movies and home videos, and making the majority of management decisions. Saban would still own the company and the Disney board would be happy because they weren't commiting to actually buying the company at a time when it isn't in their business interests to actually do that but for all intents and purposes we would have "Disney's Muppets".

Are you serious about that Luke? Do you relly think that is posible or are you trying to make us feel better?

I mean the thought of Muppet Rngers gives me shuders deep inside and I wish I was a multy billionare who could buy the Muppets and then finance more films, beter Merchandise and addvertising, and make the Muppets sucesfull and standing on their own two feet, (or arms) *colapses on the floor*

So we now have $110 and £4.50 to buy the Muppets with do you think they'll take that???????

A very depresed,
Beauregard

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by danielromens
I do see your point Luke, but it would seem to me that Saban did just fine distributing and getting the Power Rangers and Digimon out among the public eye. Almost annoyingly so. Also with the other things that he owns I'm sure he could find facilities and I'm sure the Henson kids would use the Chaplin Lot to shoot Muppet and Henson work, at least it makes sence that they would.

I'm not saying it's totally impossible for him to run this thing on his own on around the same level that EMTV have but i think it's very unlikely. This would mean the Muppets would stay on around the same level now - he is an ambitious person and one that gets into lots of cross deals and things, and he seems to be less interested in kids TV nowdays too. I really see him finding a strong and influential partner - whether he would license the whole company to them, or just work with them like Jim worked with Disney i don't know.

Originally posted by danielromens
Also, weren't Saban and News Corp partners on a few things? After all many of his shows began on Fox kids. Either way I really do feel he'd actually be better than Disney.

Saban's business relationship with Rupert Murdoch took a bad turn when Rupert had disagreements with him about the sale of Fox Family Worldwide to Disney. I'm not sure how i feel about Saban - i think he would be the right kind of owner that Henson want if he was running it on his own and making both commitments financially and with resources but if he has any plans to license the company out or build it's future on lots of co-production deals then it means more instability in the future and a better option could be found.

Originally posted by Beauregard
Are you serious about that Luke? Do you relly think that is posible or are you trying to make us feel better?

I think it's more than possible - in fact its the word in media circles right now thats what might happen which is why i was suprised Jim Hill didn't mention it. It certainly points to a possible reason why Disney aren't such a strong player in the sale of the Henson Company and Saban has past involvement with them - they'd definitely be on his 'want' list of people he would like the Muppets to work with. I actually thought that the Rivkin managment buyout was expected to be over 100 million so i guess a lot of things have happened that we don't know about and there is a lot more than meets the eye !

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by radionate
Well, at least you went back and correctly quoted Luke. Thanks for editing your post to CORRECTLY quote what Luke was saying.

Um.....Actually I went to edit my grammar in that post, as I was just quoting Luke from his above statements. Might I suggest some ventilation in your office? ^_^

 

[sidcrowe]

Daniel Romens

"Camp Candy,"..........that's tonight's nightmare