LF: Duck Dynasty's multi-million payday: Their $400m empire flourishes amid scandal as fans flock to support Phil Robertson - and Walmart sells out of show merchandise

Title: Duck Dynasty's multi-million payday: Their $400m empire flourishes amid scandal as fans flock to support Phil Robertson - and Walmart sells out of show merchandise
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URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... Walmart-sells-merchandise.html
Published: Dec 20, 2013
Author: Sara Nathan and Will Payne
Post Date: 2013-12-20 16:59:07 by A K A Stone
Keywords: None
Views: 2722
Comments: 3

As the future of their show lies in doubt, the Duck Dynasty clan are still making millions thanks to their megabucks Walmart merchandising deal, MailOnline can today reveal.

The Robertson family has a merchandise empire that is estimated by Forbes to be worth about $400million - and their deal with Walmart makes up around half of this.

And today, as Walmart refused to comment on the future of their relationship with the TV family, just one glimpse at the chainstore's website shows fans are flocking to buy Duck Dynasty merchandise amid the furor over patriach Phil Robertson's homophobic comments.

Meanwhile, MailOnline can reveal a publicist from A&E DID accompany Phil to his interview with GQ magazine -but was NOT there when he made his incendiary comments.

Off air: A&E network have suspended Duck Dynasty patriach Phill Robertson from the hit show following his homophobic comments in GQ magazine

Best Seller: Duck Dynasty products have sold out on the Walmart website following Phil Robertson's explosive comments

Out of stock: Walmart has a multi-million merchandising deal with A&E networks for Duck Dynasty. It's believed to be worth nearly half their $400million merchandising empire

Walmarts sells a huge array of Duck Dynasty merchandise- from T-shirts to camo bedding, posters, watches, toy trucks, camo chairs, clothing, jewellery and even bottle openers.

Today, as Phil Robertson's close-knit family insisted they would not film the hit A&E show without him following his suspension by the network, fans tweeted they were rushing to Walmart.

However, others pointed out that this support merely puts more money into A&E's pockets as well, with one tweeting: 'Loving that Tea People are rushing to Walmart to Duck Dynasty swag in protest of A& who OWNS the merchandising.'

Another added: 'I better rush off to Walmart and buy up all the Phil Robertson merchandise 'cuz it's gonna be a collectors item one day.'

Another tweet read: 'Your stores may look quite vacant when you pull down the Duck Dynasty merch. May want to double down on the Honey Boo Boo.'

A Walmart spokeswoman declined to comment.

Family support: The Robertson clan have threatened to quit the hit-rated show. In a statement, they said: 'As a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm'

Close-knit: Phil Robertson and his wife Kay have spawned the Duck Dynasty clan that have made A&E network millions

They will leave A&E but the problem is finding a non-leftard network with easy access to a good portion of the population.

They need to broadcast from a free, non-gay religious country like Iran or Russia.

The tables have turned, and we're now behind the Gay Iron Curtain. The idiot sheeple, like stone, think that they're free because they get to choose between a gay Republican, and a queer Democrat.

Maybe they just need to start their own network, they seem to have enough money to do it. Or maybe go into a partnership with an established "moral network".