THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412210449
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
Once upon a time - six months ago, to be more precise - the Cinderella of the figure-skating world agreed to sell a majority stake in her ice show to Pat Robertson and company.
But Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades and Robertson's International Family Entertainment Inc. haven't yet finalized their deal. Sources close to the two companies said disappointing attendance at Ice Capades performances this season put a brake on the sale - and may have prompted the Robertson-chaired IFE to seek a greater role in the management of the ice show.
Executives at both Virginia Beach-based IFE and the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Ice Capades said last week that there has been no official change from their publicly announced plan.
The Ice Capades ``would be a wonderful family entertainment business for us to be associated with in some way,'' said David R. Humphrey, a senior vice president for IFE, which is best known as the parent of cable TV's The Family Channel.
Humphrey conceded, however, that IFE has been evaluating the ice show to make sure that its value hasn't deteriorated since the companies' deal was announced last June.
Hamill, 38, had said she planned to retire from performing after last season to spend more time with her young daughter. Under the agreement with IFE, Hamill and her husband would retain management positions under five-year contracts. But they would give up all but aminority ownership stake in the show.
One Ice Capades performer suggested Hamill's attachment to the show may be prompting her to have second thoughts about lessening her involvement.
``There's no one who works harder in this company than she does,'' the skater said.
There have been occasional rumors about friction between IFE and Ice Capades management personnel. They were rejuvenated last week after Hamill withdrew from skating the lead role in the Ice Capades' ``Cinderella . . . Frozen in Time'' at Norfolk's Scope. A number of IFE executives, including Timothy B. Robertson, Pat Robertson's son and the company's president and chief executive, attended the Norfolk performances, expecting to see Hamill.
The 1976 Olympic gold medalist didn't skate at either of the Norfolk dates because of fatigue, the Ice Capades said in a statement. She did lace up as Cinderella last weekend for several shows in Atlantic City, N.J., however, and is scheduled to continue appearing in the Ice Capades' performances of ``Hansel and Gretel'' through April.
Gina DePinto, sales and marketing manager for Ice Capades, insisted that Hamill and IFE's senior executives are on good terms. She pointed out that IFE has helped the ice show with market research and produced new TV ads for the show. IFE also advanced several million dollars to the show prior to the start of the current season and reportedly is working with Hamill to develop ice-skating specials for The Family Channel.
Analysts have said IFE's experience in entertainment programming would further help the 55-year-old Ice Capades polish up its image. The show had turned into a kitschy revue that was drawing ever-smaller crowds before Hamill, her physician-husband, Kenneth Forsythe, and an Alaskan businessman named Ben C. Tisdale bought it out of bankruptcy in June 1993.
Under Hamill last season, the show began righting itself financially and artistically. She converted to an elaborate single-story theatrical format, hired better skaters and commissioned original music. Things were going relatively smoothly until Tisdale, faced with problems involving another of his companies, decided earlier this year to withdraw his financial backing. That opened the way for IFE's investment.
But disappointing attendance since the current season began in September has apparently caused some strain between the two companies. Sources close to the companies said IFE wants more of a say in how the ice show is run.
The Ice Capades' DePinto estimated attendance for the show's two tours is down by about 20 percent from last season's pace of 2.8 million. She attributed the decline partly to learning pains. This season, the Ice Capades touring company that skates in larger arenas is premiering ``Hansel and Gretel'' - a story that DePinto said is harder to sell to audiences than ``Cinderella.''
Increasing competition from other ice shows is another factor, DePinto said. A half-dozen other major skating shows will have crisscrossed the country during the Ice Capades' current seven-month season.
Managers of arenas where the Ice Capades has appeared this season give it good marks.
``It's a much more artistic blend of skating than you would have in your traditional family skating show,'' said Kevin Kuchta, marketing director for the Niagara Falls (N.Y.) Convention Center. ``It's very well-produced.''
The main problem with the Ice Capades is there isn't enough Dorothy Hamill to go around, said Phil Olofson, assistant general manager of the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Olofson said a program showcasing Hamill 10 years ago still holds the record for the highest gross receipts for an ice show in his building - $201,000. Without Hamill last month, he said, Ice Capades hauled in less than half that for two performances of ``Cinderella'' - although it was a ``beautiful show.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photos by Tamara Voninski
Skaters in Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades practice last week at Scope.
The troupe was performing " Cinderella Frozen in Time."
by CNB