Abraham and I have been to two different circuses this year. In May we saw the Kelly Miller Circus in Connersville, Indiana. Last Wednesday we saw the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Cleveland, Ohio. Here’s a comparison.
| Metric | Kelly Miller Circus | Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Rings | 1 | 3 | Kelly Miller |
| Ticket Price | $43 (3 tickets, front row seating) | $39 (3 tickets, middling seats on discount night) | Kelly Miller |
| Tiger Show | Energetic tiger tricks | Too many tigers to trick | Kelly Miller |
| Hotness of Circus Girls | 7 out of 10 | 8 out of 10 (but with more depth) | Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey |
| Proximity to Elephants | Abraham could have touched their trunks | Not so much | Kelly Miller |
| Authenticity | Lots of hard work, passion, professional but not “professional”. | Managed, brand-protected business. Slick, corporate & profit-maximized. | Kelly Miller |
| Clowns (funny) | Yes | Not so much | Kelly Miller |
| Clowns (scary) | No | I was suspicious | Kelly Miller |
| Clowns (cute) | No | The girl clown was cute. | Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey |
| Abraham’s enjoyment level | Mind: Blown | More interested in sno-cones | Kelly Miller |
| Websites | Basic, simple, ugly design. | Flash intro and auto-playing music that you can’t turn off. | Kelly Miller |
Obviously, the Kelly Miller Circus was a better deal and a better time, despite the fact that it doesn’t have the production values, deep pockets, or branding of RBaB&B. Let’s hear it for the little guy!
I disagree only on one point. I think Kelly Miller’s clowns absolutely are cute!