“You’ve got a new owner, Charlie Brown.”
E.W.Scripps Co. said Tuesday they will sell the unit that holds the licensing rights to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and everything else of the “Peanuts” gang for $175 million to Joe Bowner owner Iconix Brand Group Inc.
With the sale of United Media Licensing, Iconix has a new joint venture with the family of the “Peanuts” creator, Charles Schulz and will receive 20% ownership in the unit owning “Peanuts” and will pay it of the sale price.
United Media Licensing also represents such character brands as well as Dilbert and Fancy Nancy.
The licensed merchandise has sales of over $2 billion yearly, but the owners of the license get just a small part of that.
The “Peanuts” gang is everywhere, on T-shirts, sno-cone machines and greeting cards, six decades after they were created and has well over 1,200 licensing agreements with such companies and retailers as Warner Bros., CVS, MetLife Inc., Old Navy and Hallmark Co.
Iconix is estimating to generate around $75 million in annual royalty revenue. Iconix own and licenses brands as Joe Boxer, Starter, Mudd and London Fog to retailers, suppliers and wholesalers.
Scripps CEO Rich Boehne said, “The Peanuts characters have been our entertaining co-workers and the Schulz family has been our trusted partner for nearly 60 years. But this is the right move for all involved as we go our separate ways in recognition of changing times and new strategies.”
Iconix CEO Neil Cole said, “Peanuts now has the best of both worlds. Family ownership and the vision and resources of Iconix to perpetuate what my father created throughout the next century with all the goodwill his lovable characters bring.”
Now that’s a lot of Peanuts!!! 
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