For those keeping score at home, the culture war Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) launched against the Walt Disney Company reveals that while the governor continues to sink in the latest polls, Disney revenues are surging and subscribers to the Disney+ streaming service are also up substantially.
According to Mediaite:
In contrast, Disney announced in an earnings call Wednesday that their streaming service Disney+ had added 7.9 million subscribers during its most recent fiscal quarter, bringing their total global subscriber base to 138 million.
The New York Times’ Benjamin Mullin attributed Disney’s strong subscriber numbers to new releases like Pixar’s Turning Red. India was also shaping up to be an increasingly lucrative market, Mullin noted, with its large population and Disney currently holding the rights to stream the Indian Premier League cricket matches that are so popular there, along with other plans to expand the live sports offerings of ESPN+.
Disney’s theme parks did a booming business as COVID cases declined across the United States, with revenues doubling from $3.2 billion last year to $6.6 billion over the same January to April period.
Guests visiting Disney parks are also spending more money, the latest figures show, partially due to an increase in prices and also as a result of services such as Genie+, which allows patrons to pay extra and skip long lines at rides.
DeSantis and the GOP-controlled Florida legislature have sought to punish Disney for its opposition to the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill which prevents teachers from discussing sexual orientation or related matters with students.
The most controversial move DeSantis made against Disney was getting the legislature to pass a bill revoking the Orlando theme park’s special tax status, but as NPR reported last month, that’s likely to result in a tax increase for many Floridians:
The bill will undercut Disney’s autonomy, but it could impose a steep cost on Orange and Osceola counties, where the theme park is located. The two counties would inherit the Disney district’s debts, which officials say would result in higher taxes.
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