Nickelodeon's Acquisiton of TMNT pays off: $475M sales in its first year

[JTH]

Originally Posted by Galactus

I don't. At least not in the sense that I assume you mean.

I vividly remember the argument being made that the sale to Nickleodeon was a good thing in the sense that it would ensure a steady stream of merchendise and cartoons and a strong mass media/market presence a big company like them could provide.

The questionmark was on the quality of the above things and whether it would appeal to established fans instead of exclusively being something for the new generation of money makers. Even then I think Nick did a good job in easing those concerns fairly early on. The only truly iffy thing is the movie.

I remember it really started when Nick put out that horrible DVD of Turtles Forever; which I believe was the first release Nick put out for the franchise, and everything they could do wrong, they did do wrong.

It made people very worried how much Nick really cared for the franchise and if they were in on it just for the $$$.

[saber16]

Originally Posted by jth

I remember it really started when Nick put out that horrible DVD of Turtles Forever; which I believe was the first release Nick put out for the franchise, and everything they could do wrong, they did do wrong.

It made people very worried how much Nick really cared for the franchise and if they were in on it just for the $$$.

Ah yeah, the cover art that said, "Hey! A brand new 2003 turtles movie with footage cut! Featuring no bonus content, and- oh, yeah- something about the 80's cartoon. IT'S NINJA TIME!"

Yeah, that could have been handled better. At the time, I didn't expect much from Nickelodeon getting a hold of the rights. The only thing I thought would come out of it was re-airing the 80's and 2000 toons back to back or something, but when I heard they were going to make their own show, I had doubts.

Then I saw the teaser with Mikey and Donny sporting their new weapons, and thought they were just trying to make it edgy.

Then I saw the first trailer and thought they were trying to make it to kiddy.

Then I finally watched the damn show, and I can honestly say it's by far my favorite incarnation of the series and re-ignited my love for the franchise.

I have to tip my hat to Nick, they made the right calls and put the right people in charge and instead of making a forgettable reboot, they re-introduced a franchise that not only won the hearts of the kids of this generation, but fans who grew up with the original Turtles.

[alliance]

Has the Nick Turtle series made more already than 4kids did?

[Leo656]

Only people with absolutely no lives and nothing at all going on would even give a sh*t.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

Originally Posted by alliance

Has the Nick Turtle series made more already than 4kids did?

It's not about the money. If it was, then Avatar is the best film ever.

It's about quality, and in my opinion, the 2003 series is better than 2012 (although 2012 is getting better)

[snake]

Originally Posted by alliance

Has the Nick Turtle series made more already than 4kids did?

Who cares? Honestly, who cares?

[Leo656]

Oh, let's please not do THIS again. I don't want to be forced to kill anyone, but I refuse to accept responsibility for my actions if we have to have yet ANOTHER 2K3 Vs. Nick argument before the end of the year.

Not a jury in the world would convict me. "Your honor, on behalf of the defense... it was the SEVENTH time it came up in JUST that week alone!"

Nobody gives a sh*t. People like different things and nothing, absolutely nothing, is "better" than anything else, because those are opinions. STOP already.

[Refractive Reflections]

Originally Posted by alliance

Has the Nick Turtle series made more already than 4kids did?

Originally Posted by Leo656

Only people with absolutely no lives and nothing at all going on would even give a sh*t.

Originally Posted by snakeweed101

Who cares? Honestly, who cares?

Originally Posted by whatswiththeheadbands?

It's not about the money. If it was, then Avatar is the best film ever.

It's about quality, and in my opinion, the 2003 series is better than 2012 (although 2012 is getting better)

Uh... I'm sure the Nick executives care, and are probably comparing their success to both 4Kids and the OT. Why else would a business be interested in acquiring TMNT if it wasn't about the money, and hopes of making a substantial profit? I mean this quote hints that they are probably making these comparisons to 4Kids and the OT already:

Asked about the outlook for and the possible longevity of the franchise, Johnson said Nickelodeon is taking a measured approach. "We want it to be profitable for us, our partners and retailers," he said. "We would rather see it be healthy for 25 years than milk it as much as possible short-term."

So it's a valid question to ask alliance, just the timing and tone is off since Nick just started its second season, and well... we know your opinion about 4Kids alliance.

So to all you Nick fans who keep hoping for the show to last more than 7 seasons, or have over 150 episodes or so, you better hope that it's more profitable and successful than 4Kids, otherwise Nick would terminate the show prematurely. I'm just sayin'...

[alliance]

Originally Posted by JYX

Uh... I'm sure the Nick executives care, and are probably comparing their success to both 4Kids and the OT. Why else would a business be interested in acquiring TMNT if it wasn't about the money, and hopes of making a substantial profit? I mean this quote hints that they are probably making these comparisons to 4Kids and the OT already:


So it's a valid question to ask alliance, just the timing and tone is off since Nick just started its second season, and well... we know your opinion about 4Kids alliance.

So to all you Nick fans who keep hoping for the show to last more than 7 seasons, or have over 150 episodes or so, you better hope that it's more profitable and long-lasting than 4Kids, otherwise Nick would terminate the show prematurely. I'm just sayin'...

that's exactly what I expected from these guys ONCE AGAIN they go into defensive mode, it just a question [and without bashing 4kids] very impressive on the part of Nick.. im actually shocked they have made this much so far, it just means were sure to get more seasons hopefully.. *keeps fingers crossed*

[Refractive Reflections]

Originally Posted by alliance

that's exactly what I expected from these guys ONCE AGAIN they go into defensive mode, it just a question [and without bashing 4kids] very impressive on the part of Nick.. im actually shocked they have made this much so far, it just means were sure to get more seasons hopefully.. *keeps fingers crossed*

I'm not too surprised myself, but as I mentioned in my first post, the source and quotes are mostly from all of the Nick executives (and not from an entertainment industry analyst), so to me at least, it seems like an advertising earnings report. I don't know how much we can truly scale its "success" if we were to compare it to 4Kids and OT eras without having their gross earnings figures as well.

As much as us fans want this show/franchise to be altruistic to us, its not. If we want our beloved Turtles franchise to live on, it's gotta make substantial profit for business. It's the cold, hard truth about the entertainment industry. I'm pretty sure the lure for Nick obtaining the TMNT rights is because they are mesmerized by the outrageous profit Turtlemania made, and now since they have acquired it, they probably assume that they can make the "best investment" out of it since it is now in the full control of big business. Whether that's true or not, only time will tell.

[Galactus]

Originally Posted by alliance

Has the Nick Turtle series made more already than 4kids did?

Honestly? Probobaly not. Sorry to disapoint you.

It'll probably get there though.

[alliance]

Originally Posted by JYX

I'm not too surprised myself, but as I mentioned in my first post, the source and quotes are mostly from all of the Nick executives (and not from an entertainment industry analyst), so to me at least, it seems like an advertising earnings report. I don't know how much we can truly scale its "success" if we were to compare it to 4Kids and OT eras without having their gross earnings figures as well.

As much as us fans want this show/franchise to be altruistic to us, its not. If we want our beloved Turtles franchise to live on, it's gotta make substantial profit for business. It's the cold, hard truth about the entertainment industry. I'm pretty sure the lure for Nick obtaining the TMNT rights is because they are mesmerized by the outrageous profit Turtlemania made, and now since they have acquired it, they probably assume that they can make the "best investment" out of it since it is now in the full control of big business. Whether that's true or not, only time will tell.

do u think that high quality episodes are a must to them? [in order to get the big profits] or can they just milk it like they have with spongebob and not be so concerned if episodes are kick ass like how WE WANT it to be..

[Refractive Reflections]

Originally Posted by alliance

do u think that high quality episodes are a must to them? [in order to get the big profits] or can they just milk it like they have with spongebob and not be so concerned if episodes are kick ass like how WE WANT it to be..

That... That's a tricky situation because high quality episodes can have a much more enduring, lasting value. I mean look at us for those in our 20s and 30s, the OT captured our interest as kids (I mean it's primarily the very first exposure we had to the Turtles), and we're seen as the "long-term" investment because of our interest with 4Kids, the merchandise, the comics, and Nick throughout our lives and into grown adults. (Hmm... could that be the 25 year Nick approach the article was talking about? I mean its been 25 years since the OT. Something to think about...) If the OT shows weren't "high quality" or "good", we would have dismissed the OT as kids and moved on away from it, much less look into the figures, comics, other TMNT shows, etc. Yes, I understand the OT may be "kiddish" for some now, but the principle is, is that it initially hooked us with its unique charm and eventually made us committed to the franchise as a whole.

...But on the other hand, sometimes with the pressure of big business, executives want "fast" or "quick" returns from their investment, and may lean toward the "milk it" phase, such as the OT franchise was heading toward in its last few years (1993-1996). Remember those atrocious career-oriented action figure Turtles? Some could debate about the OT Red Sky episodes as "milking" it, since it was incorporating so many other elements from more successful kid shows (i.e. Power Rangers, Batman, X-Men). Then again, we have to consider the demographic was growing out of the franchise. (C'mon now, how many times have we read about fans leaving the Turtles for developing teen interests like dating, partying, etc.? )

So I don't know... It all depends on how much pressure the Nick executives are feeling from the investors of the company, and how patient the investors are. Because if the investors want quick profitability, they could vote and force the executives, which would have a downstream effect upon the Nick staff, in including more "milk it" episodes.

Hmmm... I'm wondering if the "Mutant of the Week" episodes could be hinting toward that possibly? That's debatable of course, but notice the emphasis on 65 figures by the end of 2015:

Johnson highlighted that the line of figures offers a breadth of characters. More than 65 Turtles action figures will be launched by the end of 2015, with all first being introduced in the TV show, something other franchises don't always do, he said.

Is this a foreshadowing for even more mutants within the show...?

That's why I'm a bit suspicious with that whole "25 year" plan quote and this above quote; not to be cynical, and its why some fans were initially worried about Nick acquiring the TMNT rights, but I don't know how common it is nowadays for big business to think of long-term investing when the news reports businesses as being too focused on short-sighted gains.

I don't know if I really answered you question alliance or if you really expected such a long response, but as you can see, the question is complex with several factors involved (investors, Nick executives, writing and production talent, aging of children of a commercial youth franchise, effective advertisement, etc.), and I guess for now, we can only wait and see. **shrug**

[alliance]

Originally Posted by JYX

That... That's a tricky situation because high quality episodes can have a much more enduring, lasting value. I mean look at us for those in our 20s and 30s, the OT captured our interest as kids (I mean it's primarily the very first exposure we had to the Turtles), and we're seen as the "long-term" investment because of our interest with 4Kids, the merchandise, the comics, and Nick throughout our lives and into grown adults. (Hmm... could that be the 25 year Nick approach the article was talking about? I mean its been 25 years since the OT. Something to think about...) If the OT shows weren't "high quality" or "good", we would have dismissed the OT as kids and moved on away from it, much less look into the figures, comics, other TMNT shows, etc. Yes, I understand the OT may be "kiddish" for some now, but the principle is, is that it initially hooked us with its unique charm and eventually made us committed to the franchise as a whole.

...But on the other hand, sometimes with the pressure of big business, executives want "fast" or "quick" returns from their investment, and may lean toward the "milk it" phase, such as the OT franchise was heading toward in its last few years (1993-1996). Remember those atrocious career-oriented action figure Turtles? Some could debate about the OT Red Sky episodes as "milking" it, since it was incorporating so many other elements from more successful kid shows (i.e. Power Rangers, Batman, X-Men). Then again, we have to consider the demographic was growing out of the franchise. (C'mon now, how many times have we read about fans leaving the Turtles for developing teen interests like dating, partying, etc.? )

So I don't know... It all depends on how much pressure the Nick executives are feeling from the investors of the company, and how patient the investors are. Because if the investors want quick profitability, they could vote and force the executives, which would have a downstream effect upon the Nick staff, in including more "milk it" episodes.

Hmmm... I'm wondering if the "Mutant of the Week" episodes could be hinting toward that possibly? That's debatable of course, but notice the emphasis on 65 figures by the end of 2015:

Is this a foreshadowing for even more mutants within the show...?

That's why I'm a bit suspicious with that whole "25 year" plan quote and this above quote; not to be cynical, and its why some fans were initially worried about Nick acquiring the TMNT rights, but I don't know how common it is nowadays for big business to think of long-term investing when the news reports businesses as being too focused on short-sighted gains.

I don't know if I really answered you question alliance or if you really expected such a long response, but as you can see, the question is complex with several factors involved (investors, Nick executives, writing and production talent, aging of children of a commercial youth franchise, effective advertisement, etc.), and I guess for now, we can only wait and see. **shrug**

i'll take that 25yr comment with a grain of salt i think they were just pointing out that they DO have perhaps plan to make this thing long term..i actually have faith that if the writers don't f*ck up i don't think Nick will go into panic mode and give in on a*shole investors pressuring them, it scares me when u said that line about short-sighted gains cause its actually true, my main "thing" that i want from out of this is not the toys but awesome episodes to watch, its scary that outside investors could be the ones [not the writers] that could ruin this great thing we have so far..
i hope it doesn't get to that cause what have here for now is something really great and the potential is even greater, so far so good though i think we had this conversation perhaps too early but weve seen some bad stuff/decisions come from the TMNT franchise throughout the years so i do think its not a negative thing to have this talk about this topic, afterall:

We TMNT fans actually give a sh*t

[sdp]

I was never afraid this show wasn't going to be a success, it was obvious Nick would make it to make their investment worthwhile. I said this when Viacom first bought the turtles, and I also said this next thing at that same time: What will happen to the Turtles after this little venture is over? The show will eventually end when kids stop watching and merchandising money is gone. Nick isn't afraid to leave something in the vault like Disney. Take a look at all the awesome IP's Nick owns and could be marketable and they do nothing with them.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by sdp

I was never afraid this show wasn't going to be a success, it was obvious Nick would make it to make their investment worthwhile. I said this when Viacom first bought the turtles, and I also said this next thing at that same time: What will happen to the Turtles after this little venture is over? The show will eventually end when kids stop watching and merchandising money is gone. Nick isn't afraid to leave something in the vault like Disney. Take a look at all the awesome IP's Nick owns and could be marketable and they do nothing with them.

Let's just hope it hits the 200 episode milestone. I won't be happy until it does.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

Originally Posted by JYX

Uh... I'm sure the Nick executives care, and are probably comparing their success to both 4Kids and the OT. Why else would a business be interested in acquiring TMNT if it wasn't about the money, and hopes of making a substantial profit? I mean this quote hints that they are probably making these comparisons to 4Kids and the OT already:


So it's a valid question to ask alliance, just the timing and tone is off since Nick just started its second season, and well... we know your opinion about 4Kids alliance.

So to all you Nick fans who keep hoping for the show to last more than 7 seasons, or have over 150 episodes or so, you better hope that it's more profitable and successful than 4Kids, otherwise Nick would terminate the show prematurely. I'm just sayin'...

I was more talking about money doesn't equal quality. Yes, as a business you have to make money or go bust, but what i was getting at was the fact just because something makes more than something else doesn't mean it's better. For example, i prefer man of steel over iron man 3, but iron man 3 made alot more.

What alliance's problem with the 2k3 series is a mystery, and i was just explaining to him that money doesn't mean quality. And alliance, it looked an awful lot like you were bashing the 2k3 series. If you weren't, then sorry about that.

[Aaronardo]

Dammit. alliance came. *goes off to make an alliance meme*

[Shark_Blade]

Originally Posted by alliance

do u think that high quality episodes are a must to them? [in order to get the big profits] or can they just milk it like they have with spongebob and not be so concerned if episodes are kick ass like how WE WANT it to be..

I don't know about anyone else but spongebob is still funny as hell to me. I watch it all the time when I get the chance on Nickelodeon. Since when was it deteriorating/not kick ass?

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

I don't know about anyone else but spongebob is still funny as hell to me. I watch it all the time when I get the chance on Nickelodeon. Since when was it deteriorating/not kick ass?

well...for me....the the newer episodes just seem to ride on the nasty stuff
I don't watch them cause they creep me out XD......

but I love all the older seasons :3 (In fact I just don't like the latest ones)