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Feld Entertainment

From Alfawiki
Feld Entertainment Inc.
Company typePrivate, family-owned
IndustryLive entertainment production
Founded1967
FounderIrvin Feld, Israel Feld, Roy M. Hofheinz
Headquarters
Ellenton
,
United States
Area served
International
Key people
Nicole Feld (executive vice president), Alana Feld (executive vice president), Juliette Feld (chief operating officer)
ProductsTouring shows including Disney on Ice, Monster Jam, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Sesame Street Live, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Feld Entertainment Inc. is a U.S.-based live entertainment production firm that manages a variety of touring shows. Its origins trace back to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and it has since broadened its scope to include live events such as Disney on Ice (under license from the Walt Disney Company), Monster Jam, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and Sesame Street Live (licensed from Sesame Workshop). This family-owned enterprise is headquartered in Ellenton, Florida.

History

In 1967, promoters Irvin Feld, Israel Feld, and former Houston mayor Roy M. Hofheinz purchased the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from the Ringling and North families for $8 million, overcoming legal disputes in the process. The company went public two years later, in 1969. Kenneth Feld joined the organization after completing his college education in 1970.

The following year, 1971, saw toy manufacturer Mattel acquire all outstanding shares of the company for $50 million in stock, while Irvin Feld remained as manager and producer. Capitalizing on the opening of Walt Disney World near Orlando, Mattel launched Circus World theme park in Haines City to attract tourists. In 1979, Irvin and Kenneth Feld Productions purchased Holiday on Ice and Ice Follies for $12 million and subsequently partnered with Disney to develop Disney on Ice.

By 1980, Feld Entertainment was producing ten television specials featuring circus and ice shows and had invested in the Broadway production Barnum. In 1981, Ken Feld launched the Beyond Belief show in Las Vegas. Two years later, in 1982, the Feld family reacquired the company for $22.8 million, consolidating assets such as Holiday on Ice, Ice Follies, Walt Disney's World on Ice, and Beyond Belief. The Circus World theme park was sold off in 1984.

The Ringling Bros.' third touring unit, known as Gold Unit, was introduced in Japan in 1988 to serve smaller markets that could not accommodate larger units. That same year, Beyond Belief embarked on an international tour that included performances at New York’s Radio City Music Hall as well as venues across Japan.

Feld Entertainment

In October 1996, Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions, Inc. changed its name to Feld Entertainment, Inc. Beginning in 2001, founder Ken Feld started transferring ownership shares to his three daughters—Nicole, Alana, and Juliette Feld—bringing them into the company's leadership. Nicole became the first female producer of Ringling Bros. Circus in 2004 after Alana joined a year earlier in 2003. By 2006, Nicole was serving as vice president responsible for circus operations; both Nicole and Alana were elevated to executive vice presidents by 2007.

Following the 2003 accident that led to the closure of Siegfried & Roy’s show at the Mirage Hotel, Feld Entertainment diversified its offerings. In 2004, it introduced Disney Live! featuring Winnie the Pooh in the United Kingdom. A decade-long contract with Disney Live Family Entertainment was signed in 2008 to produce Disney on Ice along with other Disney-themed productions.

In September 2008, Feld acquired Live Nation’s motorsports division—including Monster Jam, Supercross, Arenacross, and IHRA—and rebranded it as Feld Entertainment Motor Sports. This division launched the Nuclear Cowboyz freestyle motocross tour in 2010 but divested IHRA by 2012.

Feld’s international reach expanded through strategic partnerships; notably, a promotion agreement with Zignia Live in 2011 brought several productions back to Mexican venues after a ten-year hiatus for Ringling Bros.

In January 2012, Feld acquired Palmetto Corporate Center located in Ellenton, Florida, moving its headquarters and production operations there over a five-year period. Additionally, it maintains a substantial warehouse facility in Jessup, Maryland for merchandise distribution purposes. By 2015, Feld Motor Sports relocated its headquarters from Illinois to Ellenton.

March 2013 marked a collaboration between Feld and Marvel Entertainment (a Disney subsidiary) to produce Marvel Universe Live!, an arena show featuring Marvel superheroes and characters. Marketing efforts were initially managed by Cimarron Group until its closure within that year.

Juliette Feld was appointed chief operating officer in February 2016, reinforcing the family’s leadership role within the organization. Later that year, Feld Entertainment secured licensing rights from Sesame Workshop to stage a new Sesame Street Live production debuting in October 2017.

Due to declining ticket sales and operational changes such as retiring elephant acts—which affected profitability—the company announced the final performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus would occur in May 2017. Nevertheless, Feld continues to operate its Center for Elephant Conservation. The circus was revived without animal acts beginning September 2023.

In 2018, Feld Entertainment entered into a partnership with Universal Brand Development to develop mobile pop-up attractions based on various intellectual properties—highlighting ongoing expansion and diversification efforts within the business portfolio.

Units

Feld Entertainment's organizational framework encompasses several principal subsidiaries:

Disney Live!

Feld Entertainment develops a variety of Disney-themed live performances aimed at international audiences:

  • Winnie the Pooh toured across the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand (2004–2006), the USA (from 2006 onward), and Japan.
  • Mickey’s Magic Show
  • Productions under Playhouse Disney / Disney Junior Live include:
    • Playhouse Disney Live on Tour!, launched in 2007, featuring characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, and My Friends Tigger & Pooh; produced by Ken and Alana Feld.
    • Mickey's Rockin' Road Show, introduced in 2009 with ongoing tours; incorporates an interactive pre-show experience.
    • Pirate & Princess Adventure, highlighting Sofia the First alongside Jake and the Never Land Pirates.
  • Three Classic Fairy Tales premiered in China in 2008.
  • Mickey's Music Festival
  • Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic, which debuted in Brazil in 2015 and subsequently in the US in 2016; directed by Fred Tallaksen and produced by Alana Feld.

These offerings illustrate Feld Entertainment's deliberate approach to utilizing licensed properties to broaden its live entertainment presence across multiple global markets.

Others

Pop-up attractions

  • DreamWorks Trolls: The Experience (New York City: October 22, 2018)

Theatrical

Notable Broadway productions include:

  • Big
  • Barnum
  • Largely New York
  • Fool Moon
  • MADhattan, presented in Las Vegas
  • The musical adaptation of Three Musketeers (1984)

External links

  • , a Feld Motor Sports, Inc. division responsible for Monster Jam, Supercross, Arenacross, and Nuclear Cowboyz events
  • , a licensed property event produced by Feld
  • , DreamWorks Trolls The Experience attraction
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