Regarding the Ghost, its window was this past holiday season, not next... I don't say that to be condescending to people who love Rebels, or love the Rebels toy line, I simply say that as truth.
Last year the toon launched, and this year TFA is going to be the focus. It's not going to be the cartoon getting a $100+ toy for the holiday push... There MAY be some $100+ ship on the shelves, but my $ would look more towards the Millenium Falcon if it's playing a major role in the films. Just an educated guess on the matter.
Last year, and for whatever reason that didn't happen, would've been the better year to see The Ghost as part of a line launch, ala what The Clone Wars received... Unfortunately for Rebels though, it's a smaller show than TCW was. TCW having a movie of course, and a product blitz that very much was movie-like in its broad scope.
Like I said, it's not that it won't happen, I just think where we're going into a movie a year scenario, where does Rebels fit in? This all goes back to the thing I've been saying repeatedly, which this is uncharted waters for the hobby, top to bottom. But I don't see them cranking out big ass ships left and right either. They didn't when it was far more affordable to do so, so I don't see them doing it now. Likewise I don't see them devoting the big ass vehicle slot to something that isn't in the movie for that given year.
I think The Ghost may actually turn up in one of the movies as a main ship though. Aren't they wanting to streamline some of this stuff? And carry things over?
Jeff's speculation on the issues with distribution is about as succinct a synopsis as I've seen. I'd not heard the Disney/Hasbro gunshy thing, but tough to argue it. TCW ratings were in constant decline and it was an established thing. TPM 3D underperformed (at the box office and retail) too... Rebels isn't proven, so the first year they're maybe unwilling to commit to that big ass item, second year just doesn't seem like a good fit because of the movie schedule...
If Star Wars were going like before, with 3 year gaps, I think Rebels would've had a far better chance to get that "Clone Wars" treatment. I like the show a lot, I think it gets better as it goes too, but it's in a weird spot for sure. All these films and their toy lines are in a weird spot.
I don't collect Super Hero stuff, but they've kind of dealt with this pace. That said, Super Hero movies don't seem to have as diverse a range of characters and vehicles as Star Wars does either, so that's not even a direct analogy. It's just weird territory we've been in since, at least, 2012.