Feld Entertainment has extended its decades-long relationship with The Walt Disney Co., signing a new 10-year agreement to continue producing Disney On Ice.
The Manatee County-based entertainment company has produced Disney On Ice for 45 years and is Disney’s longest-standing licensee. The newly signed agreement represents the longest contract extension in the history of Disney On Ice. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Under the partnership, Disney licenses its characters and stories to Feld Entertainment, which develops and produces the touring ice shows. Feld’s creative teams are responsible for developing storylines, composing music and designing and producing costumes, sets and props used in the productions.
Professional figure skaters then bring the productions to audiences around the world. Feld currently employs approximately 400 professional figure skaters from across the globe, making the company the world’s largest employer of professional figure skaters.
Disney On Ice dates back to 1981 and has grown into an international touring production. During the past 45 years, the shows have entertained more than 350 million people in 577 cities across 80 countries, with Disney stories presented in 41 languages.
The agreement continues a major entertainment partnership with strong ties to Manatee County. Feld Entertainment maintains its global headquarters in the county and is also known for producing large-scale touring productions, including Monster Jam and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.
The new 10-year Disney agreement ensures Feld Entertainment will continue developing and touring Disney On Ice productions well into the next decade, extending a partnership that has connected the Manatee County company with one of the world’s best-known entertainment brands for nearly half a century.