Dean Valentine: A Year Later...

[Phillip]

Ironically, it was a year ago today, Christmas Eve, that Dean Valentine and EM.TV announced plans for Valentine to buy 49.9% of Henson. A few months later, the deal was not finalized due to financial issues. This tailspin, along with Disney, Sesame Workshop, Sony and others rumored to purchase the company eventually led to the Henson kids acquisition in May.

EM.TV to sell 49.9% of Henson to Dean Valentine
December 24, 2002
[url]http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2002/122402.shtml[/url]

Valentine wants to bring the Muppets back to prominence
December 25, 2002
[url]http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2002/122502.shtml[/url]

Financing could cause Valentine's deal to unravel
December 27, 2002
[url]http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2002/122702.shtml[/url]

EM.TV says finances won't keep Valentine from Henson purchase
January 26, 2003
[url]http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2003/012603.shtml[/url]

EM.TV calls off sale of Muppets to Dean Valentine
March 7, 2003
[url]http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2003/030703.shtml[/url]

Now that we have had a year to see how things played out, were you tempted by what Valentine could've brought to the company? Obviously the fact that Valentine would have owned half and EM.TV half was kind of strange, but there might have been plans for EM.TV's half to go to Disney or some other party. Some even thought that Valentine was just a proxy for Disney in case they didn't get the company.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

This tailspin, along with Disney, Sesame Workshop, Sony and others rumored to purchase the company eventually led to the Henson kids acquisition in May.

Not Sony, Classic Media. *shudders*

Anyway, I'm glad that deal fell through; although I HAVE to say I laughed out loud in this very spot on March 7 when I read the deal fell through, seeing as the saga would go on. I was steaming last Christmas Eve when I heard about the Valentine deal, seeing as it just days earlier when we heard that Disney might've bid $135 million for Henson. But the Hensons stepped in May and all is good (enough) in the world.

Hmm, I wonder what Valentine is doing now.

 

[Phillip]

Yeah, just the fact this deal was announced on Christmas Eve seemed a little odd. EM.TV was trying to get that loan payed off by the end of the year. Looking back now, you almost wonder if the announcement was to get more time on the loan (and work out the sale details later).

What's great about the Hensons having the company once again is that they can decide the company's longterm future whether they are in ownership or they decide who the eventual owners will become. It's just wonderful that whatever decisions are in store that they will be made by Jim's family.

 

[BoyRaisin2]

It's just wonderful that whatever decisions are in store that they will be made by Jim's family.

Well, as long as the decisions aren't as disastrous as the one made in February 2000, I'll be fine.

 

[Luke]

Well, as long as the decisions aren't as disastrous as the one made in February 2000, I'll be fine.

Thats what I thought too, it's great they bought a second chance but lets hope they have learned from the past. Granted there were various different EMTV promises broken but it did seem like they just took an offer they couldn't refuse with them and tried to find good reasons for it later. I hope any future sale decision (and I do see one coming in a year or so) would have a lot more in the way of guarantee's about the Muppets future direction. It was a very close call with EMTV that we still have a Henson at all, i'd think a lot of people have less trust in them now. Not sure I go along with the idea that it's wonderful they will be making the decisions and not anyone else - we don't really know what they see as priorities when it comes to the brand aside from the usual PR guff that makes them out to be saints. Often in media families like these the characters and tradition are important but they don't have quite the same passion as the person who actually created them. I guess lots of family memories and emotions become entwined and it gets complicated.

 

[Mark Filton]

Valentine...what a giant loser

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I'm happy that the Henson 5 purchased the JHC back, but I'm sorry to all the closings and jobs lost in the company's down-sizing. Hopefully, some super good will come of it all!

 

[Luke]

Valentine - a loser ? With his money and background I really doubt it. It wasn't his fault all the financial people he wanted to back him decided in the end that Henson was a bad investment - and to be truthful it is. We are pretty lucky that even Jim's own kids jumped in despite this and saved the company from being split up or just used for the programme rights. They are taking quite a risk, although getting it cheap while still retaining the family aspect should still make it attractive if they want to sell it on again later. As long as they retain it's current status and try to build it up from there it should be worth them doing and if it gets to a point where the company is profitable and attractive enough to attract offers, or if things just don't go the way they wanted and they need to sell they should be able to work out a better deal with Disney or Viacom than EMTV ever could. I don't think there is the slightest chance of them making another $600 million killing though - those Germans were crazy bonkers !

 

[Mark Filton]

"Valentine - a loser ? With his money and background..."

That's why I called him a GIANT loser

Ha ha!

On Valentines day I send that man a LOSER card

 

[sarah_yzma]

awww.....c'mon, let's be nice