"The legend of Rogue Squadron has been long beloved by SW fans&will move us into a future era..." is what really tipped me off that the current LFL strategy is cemented in past anecdotes&nostalgia of male fans. I wanted to provide some verification & got exactly what I expected

Some caveats: No--this is not an apples to orange comparison since the ST and "reylo" are simply more current (it's just a data set that I had for some kind of benchmark). Additionally, this is only looking at Twitter so volume of conversation could be higher on other platforms.

And, no, mention count on Twitter is NOT the end-all-be-all, but if we're talking about finding content "beloved by fans" then Twitter mention volume is revealing. Twitter mention volume is typically (but not always) a proportional representation of the larger conversation.

The more people discussing something on social media typically means that people who aren't on social are likely talking about it, as well. So, if volume of conversation on social is low, top of mind interest in the product, idea, etc is also likely low (exceptions ofc apply).

All this said, my concern here still stands: We are consistently hearing about "the fans", yet "the fans" that are being prioritized are people who have already "proven" their economic value to DLF--The typical white American 40+ male SW fan who has been there since the OT.

Another Ex: The same thing we're seeing with Rogue Squadron is true of The Bad Batch. Mention volume wasn't very high when it was greenlit and conversation mostly occurred on male dominated platforms like Reddit and your typical click bait YouTube videos. https://twitter.com/InFormalMajesty/status/1287109015156207622?s=20

And this strategy will likely work for them on Disney+ where a subscriber is a subscriber. Films are a different story since it requires getting people to individually invest in a piece of content instead of a content slate.

This didn't work out for them with Solo: A spin off the GA didn't really need or care for but that apparently catered to "the fans." But these "fans" they are targeting are never big enough to make a major impact (see also: TROS having lower box office returns than TLJ)

So when LFL speaks to things "beloved by fans"--they aren't taking this from any data or consumer research. They are likely leveraging past encounters, conversations, personal anecdotes with what LFL sees as the "Model Star Wars Fan" (white, male, 40+).

And sure they announced a few shows w/ POC (which is not lost on me that these shows are established POC characters that white ppl are already comfortable with...) and sure a woman is directing, but the motivation behind the content strategy makes this diversity hollow.

The intention of who the content is directed at is vital. The Last Jedi ignites passion in ppl b/c it was directed at those who have rarely felt seen by media. While it's not perfect in regards to inclusion, it made an important impact & didn't use diversity as a marketing scheme

But this is what LFL's future looks like: A content slate stuck firmly in the past draped with shiny objects that make it look new with executives reminding everyone that "this is for the fans."

But those fans don't include me. They don't include ppl who became a fan because of the ST. They don't include ppl who desperately need to be seen in media. They don't include many people beyond the perceived security of older white men. And I personally want no part in that /