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Recent Reports State Iger is “Stuck”

iger disney hulu espn
Credit: Disney

Being the man in charge of the world’s largest entertainment company is not easy. Disney CEO Bob Iger certainly has his hands full. After initially retiring in 2020, a few short months before the pandemic, the CEO was brought back in November 2022 to pull Disney out of its mess: a mess that many argued Mr. Iger himself created with his purchases that left Disney immeasurably in debt. However, now that Iger’s back, it seems things are up and up for the Walt Disney Company. However, before things can truly move forward for Disney, CEO Bob Iger has to first deal with the issues of Hulu and ESPN.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse Magic Kingdom

Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World Resort/Courtesy of Disney

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Hulu and ESPN have been the most notable topics of conversation for months when it comes to Disney solving its current predicament. During former Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s tenure, it was clear that Hulu and ESPN were not on the table to sell. The former CEO even talked bringing gambling to the platforms.

However, in the current market, Mr. Iger seems more open to doing whatever is necessary to get Disney back on track. Iger told investors on Thursday he was “studying” Hulu “very, very carefully.” Previously, he has also mentioned, “Everything is on the table” RE selling Hulu.

Bob Iger Bob Chapek

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek with current Disney CEO Bob Iger / Courtesy of ABC

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Recently, on the subject, Iger also mentioned, “The environment is very, very tricky right now. And before we make any big decisions about our level of investment, our commitment to that business, we want to understand where it could go.”

One large entertainment rival’s CEO reportedly told Financial Times, “Iger is stuck.” The rival also called out Disney’s current 48 billion dollar debt.

Beacons of Magic, Tree of Life, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Beacons of Magic, Tree of Life, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort / Courtesy of Disney

During Chapek’s tenure, the former CEO was reportedly told to just “get rid” of Hulu. As a US-only streaming service, it’s unable to compete with others like Netflix, which is more global. Many believe that a service like Hulu is not worth it without global expansion.

With declining subscribers on Hulu and ESPN, it’s unclear how the Walt Disney Company will proceed, but it’s also clear that Disney CEO Bob Iger will have to make a decision soon and for the sake of the Mouse House, it had best be the right one.

About Priyanka Kumar

Priyanka is a writer, artist, avid reader, and travel enthusiast based in Chicago. In her free time, she is probably walking by the lake, catching up on the latest releases on TV, or spending inordinate amounts of time rewatching Moana, Encanto, and her Disney Channel life-long favorites Zack and Cody wreak havoc on the Tipton.

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