Could ‘Duck Dynasty’ really move to another network? It’ll be tough
While Sunday has been a somewhat quieter day in the ever-present saga all about “Duck Dynasty,” the first one in a while, we know that this is a messy story that is far from over yet. While it may simmer down over the holidays, the show’s premiere early next year could end up sparking all sorts of questions once again regarding whether or not this is going to be the show’s finale season on A&E.
Before we dive any deeper here, let’s simply present the facts. If the Robertsons and the network are unable to come up with a way to move forward with another season featuring Phil Robertson, which is what the family wants to so in order to move forward, the show will likely come to an end. But, they cannot just pack their bags and start filming for another network. There may be interest out there, but they’ll have to go through some sort of waiting period depending on their contract. It could be as short as just a few months, but it could also be a lot longer. It just depends on what sort of deal they have, and how quickly a new network would want to jump on. There may be some that have lukewarm interest just because they don’t want to deal with the backlash from some equal rights groups.
Even if they do move somewhere else, though, there will also be other changes. The “Duck Dynasty” name will likely be gone (as they don’t own that), and they’ll be forced to get another show off the ground. If they went this route, they’d probably do so with a network that let them be somewhat more open about their faith. A good comparison here would be when Glenn Beck left Fox News and went to do his own thing elsewhere. He’s got an audience still, but it’s smaller and slightly more geared towards a certain demographic. The Robertsons would likely face the same sort of uphill climb.
Another option for the family? Maybe just ceasing the show altogether and choose to do more conventions and other events. They already make a ton of money from their Duck Commander brand, and really don’t need the show to succeed, even if it is an excellent platform. Plus, you have to wonder if they would eventually want to start to move on with a more private life, since it has to be hard sometimes to not be able to go out anywhere.
What we want to do now is hear from you: What do you want to see happen with the Robertsons?