Feld Entertainment Inc. is an American live show production company which owns a number of traveling shows. The company began with the now-defunct
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus then expanded into additional live events, including
Disney on Ice
Disney on Ice, originally Walt Disney's World on Ice, is a series of touring ice shows produced by Feld Entertainment's Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice, Inc. under agreement with The Walt Disney Company. Aimed primarily at children, the shows fea ...
,
Monster Jam,
AMA Supercross Championship, and
Sesame Street Live. The company is family owned.
History
In 1967,
Irvin Feld
Irvin Feld (April 19, 1918 – September 6, 1984) was a business entrepreneur who built a chain of record stores, promoted rock groups, produced concerts involving some of the biggest names in popular music. He was also the head of Ringling Bros ...
Israel Feld and
Roy M. Hofheinz offered to purchase the
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Broadway producers
Cy Feuer
Cy Feuer (January 15, 1911 – May 17, 2006) was an American theatre producer, director, composer, musician, and half of the celebrated producing duo Feuer and Martin. He won three competitive Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theat ...
and
Ernest H. Martin
Ernest Harold Martin (born Ernest Harold Markowitz; August 28, 1919 – May 7, 1995) was an American Broadway producer who wrote the book for a musical, owned a Broadway theater and produced motion pictures, including ''Guys and Dolls'', ''How t ...
sued in December 1967 to stop the sale. Nevertheless, the purchase of the combined circuses from the
Ringling and North families to the Feld group took place for $8 million. The company was taken public in 1969.
Kenneth Feld joined the business in 1970 after finishing college.
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...
purchased the company in 1971 for $50 million in Mattel stock, while Feld continued managing the circus.
[ After ]Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
opened near Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
, in 1971, the circus company attempted to cash in on the resulting tourism surge by opening Circus World in nearby Haines City
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan S ...
. Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions in 1979 purchased from Chicago-based Bill Wirtz the Holiday on Ice and Ice Follies for $12 million. The company soon approached Disney about doing a Disney show on ice. By 1980, the company produced 10 circus and ice show TV specials. An investment was also made in '' Barnum'', the Broadway musical.[ In 1981, Ken Feld started the '' Beyond Belief'' show at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino.]
The Felds bought the company back in 1982 for $22.8 million. By then, the business included Holiday on Ice, Ice Follies, Walt Disney's World on Ice, and ''Beyond Belief'' Las Vegas nightclub act.[ Circus World was sold to Arizona developer James Monaghan in 1984. Ringlings' third touring company, Gold Unit, premiered on July 1, 1988, in Japan. In late 1988, ''Beyond Belief'' Las Vegas act went on an international tour.][
]
Feld Entertainment
In , Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions, Inc. changed its name to Feld Entertainment, Inc. In 2001, Ken Feld began gifting shares of Feld Entertainment to his three daughters Nicole, Alana and Juliette Feld. Nicole was hired into the family business in 2001 and became the first female producer of the Ringling Bros. Circus in 2004. Alana also signed on in 2003.
Due to an accident in October 2003, the Siegfried & Roy
Siegfried & Roy were a duo of German-American magicians and entertainers, best known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers. It was composed of Siegfried Fischbacher (June 13, 1939 – January 13, 2021) and Roy Horn (born Uwe L ...
show was closed.[ FE started producing Disney Live! shows in June 2004 with Winnie the Pooh in the United Kingdom.] Alana produced the first Doodlebops Live! in 2006.[ In 2006, Nicole was a vice president in charge of the circus.] The company sold its Vienna, Virginia headquarters in May 2006 to America's Capital Partners then leased it back until 2018. In 2007, Nicole and Alana were elevated to executive vice president of the company.[
The company signed a 10-year agreement with Disney Live Family Entertainment for Disney on Ice, Disney Live and other Disney productions in August 2008.][ In September, Feld also acquired the ]motorsport
Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
s division of Live Nation
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertainme ...
, including the properties of Monster Jam (and several associated monster trucks), Supercross
The AMA Supercross Championship (commercially known as Monster Energy AMA Supercross) is an American motorcycle racing series. Founded by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1974, the AMA Supercross Championship races are held from ...
, Arenacross, and the IHRA. The motor sport division was renamed Feld Entertainment Motor Sports. Feld Motor Sports launched its first new arena-based freestyle motocross touring production, Nuclear Cowboyz, in 2010. Feld Motor Sports sold the IHRA to IRG Sports + Entertainment in 2012.
Feld Entertainment and Zignia Live, management company of Arena Ciudad de Mexico and Arena Monterrey, signed a promotion agreement in April 2011 bringing any of Feld shows to Zingia's managed arenas for a total of 18 weeks. This brings back the Ringling Bros circus in May 2012 that had been absent from Mexico since 2002.
In January 2012, the company purchased Palmetto Corporate Center, a former Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
Corp. complex in Ellenton, Florida
Ellenton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The population was 4,129 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Ar ...
, and plans to move most of its various operations and its world headquarters there over a five-year period starting with its worldwide production center. Feld agreed in October 2013 to occupy a to be built 241,457-square-foot warehouse in the Baltimore-Washington Industrial Park, Jessup, Maryland
Jessup ( ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, about southwest of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 10,535.
Geography
Jessup is located at (3 ...
expected to be finished in November 2014 to consolidated two other warehouse elsewhere in the industrial park used for merchandise. In 2015, Feld Motor Sports HQ moved from Illinois to Ellenton.
In March 2013, Feld agreed with Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC (formerly Marvel Enterprises) is an American show business, entertainment company (law), company founded in June 1998 and based in New York City, New York (state), New York, formed by the merger of #Marvel Entertainment ...
, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
in 2009, to produce ''Marvel Universe Live!
''Marvel Universe Live!'', stylized as ''Marvel Universe LIVE!'', is a touring live action arena show featuring Marvel Comics characters by Feld Entertainment. So far there have been two shows under the banner, the original and "Age of Heroes".
Ma ...
'', a Marvel character-based live arena show. Marketing campaign company Cimarron Group was hired in 2013 by Feld Entertainment for all media campaign for Marvel Live and other Feld shows. The Cimarron Group however shut down August 2013.
Juliette Feld was promoted to chief operating officer
A chief operating officer or chief operations officer, also called a COO, is one of the highest-ranking executive positions in an organization, composing part of the "C-suite". The COO is usually the second-in-command at the firm, especially if t ...
of the corporation in February 2016.
In November 2016, Feld Entertainment and Sesame Workshop announced an agreement for a new Sesame Street Live show to debut in October 2017 to replace one by VStar Entertainment Group
VStar Entertainment Group is a family entertainment production company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It produced Sesame Street Live, a live touring stage show based on the television series. It has also produced stage s ...
ending in July 2017.
Citing low attendance rates, Feld Entertainment announced the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus would close after their final performance on May 21, 2017. The retirement of the elephants was a factor in the decreased attendance, but the company would continue operating its Center for Elephant Conservation
The Center for Elephant Conservation (CEC) is a breeding farm and retirement facility for elephants in Polk City, Florida, opened in 1995. The CEC is solely sponsored by Feld Entertainment, the holding company which operated the Ringling Bros. a ...
. It is set to return in 2023, but with the animal acts removed.
Feld Entertainment entered into the amusement and attractions industry again. Feld and Universal Brand Development has agreed to develop multiple properties into mobile pop-up attractions in April 2018. The first being DreamWorks Trolls: The Experience starting its tour in the third quarter 2018 in New York. At the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2018, Feld offered two concepts at the expo, a Monster Jam roller coaster and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus interactive stations. In September 2019, Feld and Universal will start its joint touring show, Jurassic World Live Tour, in Columbus, Ohio.
Units
Feld Entertainment owns:
*Feld Consumer Products, concession and merchandising division in Jessup, Maryland
Jessup ( ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard and Anne Arundel counties, about southwest of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 10,535.
Geography
Jessup is located at (3 ...
*Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
** Monster Jam
** AMA Supercross Championship
**International Hot Rod Association
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) is the second-largest drag racing sanctioning body after the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
The Carrier Era 1971-1987
The IHRA was formed in November 1970 by businessman Larry Carrier. Througho ...
Nitro Jam (2008–2012)
**Nuclear Cowboyz (2010–2013)[
* Hagenbeck–Wallace, Inc., a property, costume and scenic design company]
* Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice, Inc.[ produces:
**]Disney on Ice
Disney on Ice, originally Walt Disney's World on Ice, is a series of touring ice shows produced by Feld Entertainment's Ice Follies And Holiday on Ice, Inc. under agreement with The Walt Disney Company. Aimed primarily at children, the shows fea ...
, originally Walt Disney's World on Ice[
**Classic Ice Spectaculars]
* Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus[ (1967–2017, 2023–)]
Live show productions
Disney Live!
*'' Winnie the Pooh'' (–2005) United Kingdom, Spain, The Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand (–2006) USA (2006–) Japan[
*''Mickey’s Magic Show''][
*Playhouse Disney / Disney Junior Live:
**''Playhouse Disney Live on Tour!'' (launched ) focuses on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, ]Little Einsteins
''Little Einsteins'' is an American animated children's television series based on the Baby Einstein line of videos. It was produced by The Baby Einstein Company (which, at the time, was owned by Disney) and animated by Curious Pictures. The ser ...
, Handy Manny and My Friends Tigger & Pooh characters of Playhouse Disney shows and produced by Ken and Alana Feld.
**''Mickey's Rockin' Road Show'' was created in early 2009 and is on its second tour starting in . The show has 15-minute interactive pre-show segment, Playhouse Disney Pre-Show Party, with video highlights.
**''Pirate & Princess Adventure'' features Sofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates
*''Three Classic Fairy Tales'' (opened May 2008) China[)
*''Mickey's Music Festival''
*''Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic'' (Brazil –2016) (US Early 2016–) The show is directed and choreographed by Fred Tallaksen and produced by Alana Feld.]
Others
*'' Beyblade LIVE''(2001-2003)
**'' Beyblade LIVE''(2001)
**'' Beyblade V-Force LIVE''(2002)
**'' Beyblade G-Revolution LIVE''(2003)
*'' Beyblade: Metal Saga THE LIVE''(2009-2012)
**'' Beyblade: Metal Fusion THE LIVE''(2009)
**'' Beyblade: Metal Masters THE LIVE''(2010)
**'' Beyblade: Metal Fury THE LIVE''(2011)
**'' Beyblade: Shogun Steel THE LIVE''(2012)
*'' Beyblade Burst THE LIVE STAGE''(2016-)
**'' Beyblade Burst THE LIVE STAGE''(2016)
**''Beyblade Burst Evolution
''Beyblade Burst Evolution'', known in Japan as Beyblade Burst God (ベイブレードバースト神, ''Beiburēdo Bāsuto Kami (Goddo)''), is a 2017 anime series and the second season of ''Beyblade Burst''. The series was produced by D-rights an ...
THE LIVE STAGE''(2017)
**''Beyblade Burst Turbo
''Beyblade Burst Turbo'', known in Japan as Beyblade Burst Super Z (Cho Z) (ベイブレードバースト超ゼツ, ''Beiburēdo Bāsuto Chōzetsu'') or Beyblade Chozetsu, is a 2018 anime series and the third season of ''Beyblade Burst''. The ser ...
THE LIVE STAGE''(2018)
**''Beyblade Burst Rise
''Beyblade Burst Rise'', known in Japan as is a 2019-2020 original net animation series and the fourth season of ''Beyblade Burst''. The series consists of 52 12-minute episodes, and they premiered on the CoroCoro and Takara Tomy YouTube channels ...
THE LIVE STAGE''(2019)
**'' Beyblade Burst Surge THE LIVE STAGE''(2020)
**'' Beyblade Burst QuadDrive THE LIVE STAGE''(2021)
*''Doodlebops
''The Doodlebops'' is a Canadian live action musical-comedy children's television series. It was produced by Cookie Jar Entertainment (now WildBrain) for CBC Television in Canada—although the series aired in the U.S., on Disney Channel's Pla ...
Live!'' (2006–[)
*'' High School Musical Summer Celebration'' (2009–]
* ''Marvel Universe Live!
''Marvel Universe Live!'', stylized as ''Marvel Universe LIVE!'', is a touring live action arena show featuring Marvel Comics characters by Feld Entertainment. So far there have been two shows under the banner, the original and "Age of Heroes".
Ma ...
'' (–present)[
*''George Lucas’ Super Live Adventure'', premiere in Yokohama, Japan on with a 22-week tour there. "Willow," "American Graffiti," the Indiana Jones series, "Tucker" and the "Star Wars" movies were all included in the story.
*''Goosebumps–Live on Stage''
*'' Disney’s Phineas and Ferb: The Best Live Tour Ever!'' (August 2011 — February 2013)
* '' Sesame Street Live'' (October 2017—)][
**Sesame Street, Beaches Resorts
**Sesame Street, SeaWorld theme parks
**Sesame Street, Sesame Place in Middletown Township, Pa and ]Chula Vista, CA
Chula Vista (; ) is the second-largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fifteenth largest city in the state of California, and the 78th-largest city in the United States. The popu ...
.
* '' Jurassic World Live Tour'' (September 2019—) started in Columbus, Ohio moved across part of the Midwest and East Coast[
]
Pop-up attractions
*DreamWorks Trolls: The Experience (New York October 22, 2018)
Theatrical
(most on Broadway):
*''Big''
*''Barnum''[
*''Largely New York''
*''Fool Moon''
*''MADhattan'' in Las Vegas]
*''Three Musketeers'' musical (1984)
References
External links
*
*, Feld Motor Sports, Inc, subsidiary producer of Monster Jam, Supercross, Arenacross, Nuclear Cowboyz
*, license property show produced by Feld
*, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience
{{Feld Entertainment
Motorcycle racing
Ice shows
Companies based in Manatee County, Florida
Entertainment companies established in 1967
American companies established in 1967
Former Mattel subsidiaries