SeaWorld’s Radical Shift on Captive Orcas Isn’t Helping the Company’s Performance Yet
Photo Credit: A killer whale performs at SeaWorld in San Diego. Flickr / Brooks Duncan
Skift Take
After changing course on killer whales, SeaWorld is trying to emphasize rides, education about marine life, and value compared to rival theme parks. Will that be enough to turn the embattled company around?
Nearly two months ago, SeaWorld Entertainment made what its CEO called "a fundamentally game-changing announcement" by declaring an end to its famed, oft-criticized theatrical killer whale shows and orca breeding program.
When it comes to the company's finances, which have suffered multiple blows since the release of the critical documentary "Blackfish" in 2013, the game hasn't changed just yet.
SeaWorld reported first-quarter earnings on Thursday that showed some positive movement: Attendance crept up from 3.21 million in the first three months of last year to 3.3 million this year, in part be
