Yep. At least I’m not alone.Either way, they win. Phil get reinstated and the show goes on after record Christmas sales, OR the family walks away, the show moves to syndication, in which case they still make money through royalty checks, possibly more than they normally make. I read once - it’s been years ago now - that Andy Griffith made his money not on the initial airing of the show, but on royalty rights through syndicating it to dozens of networks.
In business, the truly successful owners spend a fair amount of time thinking and asking “What-if”.
I’ve always thought folks from the South, call them Rednecks, hillbillies or whatever you like, but they also spend a lot of time asking “what-if”. They can be extremely resourceful.
Here we have Phil, with a masters degree and strong Christian values and a very successful business. He has all the leverage and it’s not just the money. Their fans are very passionate and will support them.
I tend to think this “ploy” isn’t about the money.
I believe Phil actually wants to push the Christian message and senses this as an opportunity.