The Orlando, Florida–based theme‑park operator SeaWorld, now part of United Parks & Resorts, is being sued by the New York City–based nonprofit Sesame Workshop, the organization behind the Sesame Street television series, over alleged non‑payment of royalties and mishandling of the “Sesame Street” brand.
In September 2024, a federal judge in Orlando upheld an arbitration ruling that required SeaWorld to pay Sesame Workshop more than $11 million, including interest, for breaching their licensing agreement. Sesame Workshop says SeaWorld did not make that payment until October 2025.
Now Sesame Workshop is seeking in its new Manhattan federal lawsuit to terminate a U.S. theme‑park license agreement with SeaWorld that has lasted about 45 years. The most recent licensing agreement was finalized in 2017.
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