While I think it would be unfair to blame any individual person for SeaWorld's current dilemma; I sadly still see Joel Manby's critical decisions as the main cause of the companies recent problems, especially as far as fans are concerned. He was an outsider to the company with little prior knowledge of zoos or aquariums, and he allowed the loudest protesters to win as if they stood for what the majority of people truly think about the company.
It is hard to know whether or not he made the right decision on discontinuing the breeding of killer whales and theatrical dolphin shows, but I don't know any fans or potential buyers that prefer that outcome. The way I see it, the loudest protesters were mostly uninterested parties. Their job was to complain until SeaWorld gave in, but those same people would never have visited the park anyway. I can't see those changes helping in the long-run.
Look at the "new model" shows versus the former
"theatrical" shows. The latter can be quite boring, varying by performance. I can see how Orca Encounter can survive short-term.
Dolphin Days, on the other hand, just looks like a very lazy,
last-minute attempt at following through with their new promises.
I don't think anyone already employed by SeaWorld would have done what Joel Manby did. I just wonder if it would have been better to prioritize the people that actually do/will visit the parks, versus pandering to an audience that, by their very nature, would never visit the parks. Overall, I hope Joel Manby finds another, better calling, and that we find more positive results soon.
