Monster Jam, other shows will go on. But Feld CEO is being careful not to rush them
Ken Feld, the 71-year-old chief executive officer of Feld Entertainment, has been closely monitoring the relaunching of the company’s first two traveling shows since shutting down operations in March.
Monster Jam’s first live shows since the COVID-19 pandemic were this past weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Disney on Ice is in rehearsal for a multi-city tour with its “Dream Big” show Nov. 6-15 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
“I spoke to the cast of Disney on Ice this morning,” Feld said Friday in a phone interview.
Everyone at Feld Entertainment, including Feld, gets tested regularly for COVID.
“Tuesday and Friday we test everyone. I can go to rehearsals through Monday, and if I want to go back Tuesday, I have to get retested,” Feld said of the stringent health and safety measures the company is taking, including adding an epidemiologist to the staff.
It’s a major change for a company that, prior to the pandemic, entertained an estimated 30 million people around the world with as many as 5,000 shows a year.
Feld Entertainment layoffs announced in March were among the largest in the state to date.
The company partnered with IMG Academy to host the WNBA season and championships, eventually won by the Seattle Storm, by providing the courts and space for TV production during the pandemic.
Feld Entertainment converted a rehearsal hall into two WNBA courts and television production area for the games.
“It went extraordinarily well. It was a good learning process for us. They had incredible protocols on how to keep the group together, healthy and safe,” Feld said.
Feld chose Dallas for the launch of Disney on Ice because of the city’s experience of working with fans and keeping them safe during the pandemic. Globe Life Field, which is adjacent to AT&T Stadium, is hosting Major League Baseball playoff games, including the World Series.
“We are doing the same testing protocols with the people there that we are doing here,” Feld said.
As for future relaunching of shows, Feld says the company is watching to see how Monster Jam and Disney on Ice perform before making decisions about other shows.
The future is also dependent on large measure on the course of what has been an unpredictable pandemic.
“It is complicated but it is important that we do it very well,” Feld said. “I think there are a lot of lessons learned during the pandemic. We had 28 shows all over the world when it happened. We needed to be forward thinking in what we do.”
Feld believes the world will have to deal with the pandemic for a while. Feld wants to make sure that shows will be a good family experience, and safe for fans, associates and performers alike.
Putting a show back on the road takes a “big leap of faith,” he said. “It is dependent on everyone of us to make it work.”
Feld said he is optimistic about the future, and the pent-up demand for live entertainment. He also knows that families are under a lot of pressure caused by the pandemic. He has three daughters and six grandchildren, some of whom are being taught online.
“People want social distancing. We started doing research in May to see what people would feel good about.,” he said.
“You can’t replicate the experience of being there in person. The only experience where you will see Disney characters other than at a Disney theme park, is Disney on Ice. I am positive that people will want to see this live experience,” he said.
“We want to lead the way and set a very high standard so that our fans will feel comfortable coming to our productions,” Feld said.
Irvin Feld, Ken Feld’s father, founded the company in 1967 with the acquisition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus.
Ken Feld joined the company in 1970.
“I have been with the company, growing it, for 50 years. We have been through every cycle. I look at life as something special. Anyone can enjoy the good days. But how do we stay positive and optimistic on the bad days?”
Feld and his staff used the down days caused by the pandemic as a time of reflection and study on how to make the company better when it begins reemerging.
“I love every day of it,” he said of Feld shows that bring smiles to the faces of families.
Ken Feld assumed the role of Feld Entertainment CEO in 1984 after working alongside his father for nearly two decades. He now works alongside his three daughters: Juliette (chief operating officer), Nicole (executive vice president) and Alana (executive vice president).
Feld Entertainment began moving its corporate headquarters to Ellenton in 2012, in order to house all of its productions under one roof. Feld Entertainment Studios is now the third-largest single-occupant building in the state. It houses two full-sized rehearsal studios for stage and ice productions as well as the largest monster truck shop in the world, holding 45 Monster Jam trucks when at capacity and equipped with the ability to design and build the 12-foot tall vehicles from start to finish.
For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit https://www.feldentertainment.com/company/.
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
