It’s time for the top Disney stories countdown for 2016! What were the big stories out of the Mouse House in 2016? We’re counting down what seemed to get the most buzz not just when they appeared in headlines but throughout the year after.
We start off with a story that happened not long into the new year. Entering 2016 it looked like Tom Staggs, longtime executive at Disney was the heir apparent for the Disney company after Bob Iger. He was promoted to COO in 2015 and it seemed like he was being groomed to become the CEO as Iger started his way out.
But, in April, Staggs announced he would be stepping down from his position and eventually leaving the company. The reason? The board wanted to expand the search of candidates for CEO. Some were saying they were hesitant to give the reins to Tom Staggs. This all opened up a can of worms about the future of the Disney company.
Besides the search for a head of the business, other concerns keep coming up about ESPN and whether it is the weak link in the Disney media chain. Poor performance in ratings with the channels and increasing number of other sports media outlets have investors wondering if the branch should be cut off. Iger has been steadfast in keeping ESPN part of the Disney family, and even brought about the purchase of technology from MLB.TV. These concerns factored into some of the overall hesitancy on selecting the next CEO.
As we enter into 2017, there is still the unknown with ESPN and the next CEO. Disney still continues to shine and be strong, and it is not a matter of grave concern. But, it is something to keep watching for throughout the year and beyond! Below is our original coverage on the story.
