Circus Icon Ringling Bros. Says Goodbye After 146 Years

NBCNews.com ^ | May 21 2017, | Daniella Silva

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

UNIONDALE, New York — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus folded up its Big Top for the last time on Sunday night in New York, as emotional performers, wistful crowd-goers and ecstatic protesters said farewell to an institution in American live entertainment after nearly a century and a half.

The circus gave the final performance of "The Greatest Show on Earth" to a sold-out crowd at Nassau Coliseum, showing off its death-defying stunts and exotic animals for the last time after 146 years.

[TexasGunLover]

Also - their advertising did nothing to dispel the image of having to go sit in a hot tent to watch the circus. Nobody wants to do that in Texas (or the rest of the South) for about half the year.

I've seen them numerous times, but never in a Tent. They perform at the AAC in Dallas and reunion arena before that.

[DesertRhino]

Their audience shrank as a result of non-stop leftist animal rights harping, lawsuits, protests at shows, etc. So he’s right thank a leftist for killing the circus.

[Biggirl]

Are you though about that?

It is pretty much established as of now. They even have a year round home in Las Vegas.

[humblegunner]

Are you though about that?

[Alberta's Child]

The year-round home in Las Vegas is very telling. They're in the entertainment capital of the U.S. where they have a market among the millions of visitors traveling there. Without the casinos there would be no reason to go there.

That's why Las Vegas is where faded old singers go at the end of their careers, too.

Of course, there's also the strong possibility that a circus show with human performers is more interesting to an audience simply because it's easier to train humans to do weird and entertaining things, too.

[Biggirl]

Plus in regards to NASCAR, it is a niche market. If you say that it is in a decline it could be because there so much tv broadcasting of it.

[Alberta's Child]

NASCAR may have been a niche market at one time, but not anymore. As recently as 15-20 years ago it was generating national TV ratings higher than any sports events other than the NFL.

[Biggirl]

Yet would it surprise you that Las Vegas has been attracting even sports events and teams. The NHL I believe going to set up a team and the surprise decision this year has been made by the ownership of the NFL Raiders to move to there.

[Biggirl]

But then again the Oakland Raiders have had a history of moving around.

[Biggirl]

That is YOU. LOL

[Alberta's Child]

All of those moves by those sports leagues are driven by a desire to cover major TV markets — regardless of whether there is any fan interest. The NHL has been doing this for years, even to the point where they’ve awarded an expansion franchise to Las Vegas even while several other teams outside traditional hockey markets — like the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, and Arizona Coyotes — are no longer financially solvent.

[Biggirl]

Talk a niche market, the NHL is is it.

[Biggirl]

Correction: Talk about a niche market, the NHL is it.

[Gay State Conservative]

IMO a bit of America died with it.

[Gay State Conservative]

Talk a niche market, the NHL is is it.

You don't get to Canada much,do you?

[MUDDOG]

the last time on Sunday night

For the benefit of Mr. Kite.

[foreverfree]

bump

[abigkahuna]

If you have never unrolled canvas, nor driven a spike you really don’t know the excitement of either a circus, carnival or show. It is a lifestyle only a few of us can and still do. We are but a small part on the whole show, but to be part of the lot, to be “with it” is something to be proud of. The lot is our home and it is sad to see RRBBBC fold the canvas for the last time. It’s something that is difficult to explain to the townies but it is the life we lead.

—Big Kahuna

[foreverfree]

bump

[smileyface]

Cirque du Soleil is a success, I think. There the humans pretend to be animals.