Six Flags is struggling. Why the NFL’s Travis Kelce is joining investors to make a difference

Struggling theme park operator Six Flags came under more pressure this week, as Kansas City Chiefs Football Player Travis Kelce joined the team’s effort Travis Kelce joined a company to improve the customer experience at its theme parks.

“I’m a lifelong flag fan and I grew up reading these parks with my family and friends,” Kelce said in a statement. “The opportunity to help make Six Flags special for the next generation is one I couldn’t pass up.”

Kelce grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, about 70 miles from the Cedar Park, used by Six Flags. In addition to being a Super Bowl champion, Kelce is also known as Taylor Swift’s Fiance, the host of the show “Are you smarter than a celebrity?” and host of the “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason.

Kelce’s joining of the investment team comes as Six Flags has faced challenges, including CEO Richard Zimmerman’s, planned this year.

The company’s authorities hoped that the $ 8-billion merger completed in the middle of 824, including the owner of the six magical Fungeri with Flags Clead Farm Fair – Owner of Khott’s Great Cuery Fair and California’s Great American – Owner of Khott’s Great American – could set the path to financial success.

The combined company is led by Cedar Fair’s executives, who are pursuing a strategy of trying to manage a mountain of debt, sell underperforming parks and try to increase visitors.

But Turnaround has always been good. In August, Zimmerman said second-quarter results came in ahead of expectations, citing bad weather and a challenging consumer environment.

Six Flags reported a net loss of $99.6 million in the second quarter, compared to a profit of $55.6 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Total park visits fell 9% to 14.2 million visitors from a year earlier.

Six Flags said tourism improved this summer. In the ninth period of the week ended Aug. 31, there were 17.8 million visitors, compared to the same period in 2024

Questions have been raised as to how much the park’s total of 60 flags can be closed and sold, and that the theme park experience was destroyed as six flags were placed next to Park Park Park presidents and canceled some of the annual events.

Now comes Kelce’s hiring, which is part of the Investment Coalition — including New York-based Jana Partner, CEO Glenn Murphy and Texterite Executive Dave Habiger — that’s Six Flags.

In a statement, Six Flags said: “We value shareholder feedback and take feedback into account as we continue to improve our ways to increase attendance, improve the event experience and share value.”

Six Flags, the largest amusement park operator in North America, is now at a crossroads.

The company says it faces heavy competition for the leisure time of its visitors. It is investing more than $1 billion in new rides and attractions over the next two years, including a new roller coaster at Magic Mountain in Valencia. It has tried to sell itself as a low-cost, mid-tier amusement park that is more expensive than a trip to Disney or the theme parks.

In its effort to drastically cut costs, Six Flags has made many changes to its theme parks, and moved to a regional management model. In May, six flags you have been fired President of KNTTY’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, Jon Storbeck, and Gang Flags Maging Mountain Mountain President Jeff Harris. Barbara-Lea Grande, Vice President and General Manager of California Great America in Santa Clara, also left the company in May.

The company announced plans to cut staff by 10%, and eliminate approximately 135 full-time jobs across all California parks by the end of June.

California Great America kept most of its live entertainment activities this year and canceled its annual events, including its Midsummer carnivals, Halloween-themed tricks and treats and its Christmas beach. Tricks and Treats and Winterfest moved to Six Flags Park District in Vallejo.

At an investor meeting in May, Six Flags executives made a case for investors on how they think they can get the parks under performing better.

Another potential growth area was Magic Mountain, where attendance has declined by 15% since 2012, Sixth Flags CEO Christian Dieckmann said during an investor conference. Six Flags predicts it will regain its presence there with a multi-dollar renovation of the Hurricane Harbor Water Park at Magic Mountain and other updates.

Questions about Minic Mountain’s future have surfaced before, including an open debate over whether to sell the property development in 2007.

During the Six Flags investor meeting, Chief Financial Officer Brian Winerow said one focus was to increase the number of northern carriers and increase their visits. At the top parks, Season Pass holders typically spend $275 a year, compared to $85 for a one-day visit, Eanerow said.

Another important investor, Hork Plant Management & Builngs, had been urging Six Flags to get more money from the sale, possibly by selling the land.

“The combination of merger pains and historically unfavorable weather led to negative sentiment,” said the shareholder, who opposed the merger.

Before the merger, Cedar Fair sold the land under California in California in America in 2022 to the San Francisco Real Estate Company, and agreed to finish expiring in 2028, the park is set to close whenever the lease ends.

Six Flags this year also announced plans to close Six Flags in America and Hurricane Harbor in Bowie, MD.

Jana said in a statement that he plans to engage with the management team and the management of the Six Flags Board to improve the company’s sales strategy and operations, accelerate modern technology, evaluate its leadership and evaluate possible changes.

Having someone of Kelce’s stature will help increase awareness of the group’s activist efforts.

Changes also occur on the sixth flag board. Selim Bassoul, Chairman of Six Flags Offethionite, and lead independent director Daniel Hanrahan will step down from the Six Flags board at the end of the year.

Six Flags on Friday added Jonathan Brudnick, a partner at hedge fund Sachem Capital, to its board as part of the deal.

“We invested in Six Flags because we strongly believe in the strength of the business and that many options exist to address the company’s current maturity,” Brudnick said in a statement. “I look forward to working with my fellow directors to continue the important work that continues to ensure Six Flags makes up its company as its largest amusement park company in North America.”

Jana Pretnals was an activist owner of other companies, including San Ramon, where Jana used devices in the medical business, where Jana pressured the company to combine its contact lens division with Bausch + Lomb, according to the Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report on Kelce’s involvement.

“We look forward to working with the Six Flags Board and management to open the number of participants to the benefit of all participants,” said Scott Ostfeld, Jana Opening Partner in a statement.