SeaWorld has said in its latest financial report that its attendance has dropped. While the company denies it, the drop does coincide with the release of the controversial Blackfish documentary that sought to show how SeaWorld really treats its killer whales.
SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. said that it had 10.1 million visitors at its 11 parks across the country during the first six months of 2013. According to The LA Times, that’s a drop from 10.7 million during the same period in 2012. The company reported a $56.2 million net loss, even though profits grew 2 percent.
As attendance drops, the company is offering lower ticket prices with promotions. Bloomberg reports that SeaWorld Orlando’s midweek ticket has been cut by $42, while San Diego residents will get a free children’s ticket if they go to the San Diego park midweek.
The drop and promotions coincidentally comes after the release of Blackfish, a documentary on how the parks treat their killer whales. When it was released in July, the park called it “inaccurate and misleading.”
Fred Jacobs, vice president of communications for SeaWorld, told the LA Times that they are “not slashing prices, period,” and dismissed any notion that the attendance drop is related to Blackfish. Instead, they put the blame on poor weather in Florida and Virginia during the big Easter weekend.
image: Wikimedia Commons
