NBA Experience at Disney Springs

LSLS

LSLS

Well-Known Member
SoFloMagic said:
Unbelievable this space is still empty. I can't imagine the wwe thing would ever happen, but could be hosted by espn, given their cross-promotion. But I don't know how it uses that space. There's very little exhibit space - it's a big gym with a replay booth, a massive slingshot course, and a couple rooms with individual booths.
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Espn was the smart play from the beginning in my eyes. Essentially a sports disney quest with a killer sports bar.
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
It used to be 4 pretty big floors of gaming and a restaurant upstairs.... Now it is too small? It looks like a pretty massive building on the outside...it can't be taken up with the sports bar on the 1st floor...
It need to be something special and amazing... not another poorly attended sports museum...and something with some Disney magic...
 
LSLS

LSLS

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
You’re describing an ESPN Zone, all of which closed before DisneyQuest.
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Yeah, somewhat, though on a bigger scale. Admittedly I only made it to the Atlanta one, but I remember being underwhelmed by the offerings in the game area (like, it was a bunch of the basketball hoops you see in any arcade, some of those small bowling alleys, etc.). And I didn't think they all closed due to them not making money/having people visit (for example, all I can find on the Downtown Disney closure was it was done to build a hotel). I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of having things like batting cages, those golf walls (whatever they are called), things like that to go along with some video games. Special offerings like DisneyQuest had along with the normal games. I don't know, I feel like sports are kind of underserved at Disney considering all the sports groups that come through there, and appealing to a lot more than one sport would help a ton.
 
F

fgmnt

Well-Known Member
I speculated that if the ESPN Zone concept gets revived in this building it would need to come with a sportsbook component to make money. That would need state approval. Given how the state and Disney are playing with each other right now, that’s not happening.

An executive team that sees this giant unused building and needing a creative win would probably want to look at something like the Vegas Omega Mart as a launching pad. A unique concept that is an interactive indoor experience where people can buy a ticket and merchandise tied directly to the experience.
 
SoFloMagic

SoFloMagic

Well-Known Member
fgmnt said:
I speculated that if the ESPN Zone concept gets revived in this building it would need to come with a sportsbook component to make money. That would need state approval. Given how the state and Disney are playing with each other right now, that’s not happening.

An executive team that sees this giant unused building and needing a creative win would probably want to look at something like the Vegas Omega Mart as a launching pad. A unique concept that is an interactive indoor experience where people can buy a ticket and merchandise tied directly to the experience.
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The more I think of it, the more the WWE idea makes sense. (think of the crossovers with espn and make a wish).

But unfortunately their streaming rights are with universal, so there's no synergy to be had with online content. And any hall of fame would want to mention their streaming channel on peacock.
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
LSLS said:
Yeah, somewhat, though on a bigger scale. Admittedly I only made it to the Atlanta one, but I remember being underwhelmed by the offerings in the game area (like, it was a bunch of the basketball hoops you see in any arcade, some of those small bowling alleys, etc.). And I didn't think they all closed due to them not making money/having people visit (for example, all I can find on the Downtown Disney closure was it was done to build a hotel). I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of having things like batting cages, those golf walls (whatever they are called), things like that to go along with some video games. Special offerings like DisneyQuest had along with the normal games. I don't know, I feel like sports are kind of underserved at Disney considering all the sports groups that come through there, and appealing to a lot more than one sport would help a ton.
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Don't they have a whole World Of Sports campus on property that serves only sports teams and such? Plus All Star Sports for budget hotel accommodations. There are plenty of Sports and sports themed things on property.... I feel like sports eat up the majority of everything in the world, Having a theme park and resorts and not having sports shoved completely down my throat is a plus...
 
LSLS

LSLS

Well-Known Member
Bocabear said:
Don't they have a whole World Of Sports campus on property that serves only sports teams and such? Plus All Star Sports for budget hotel accommodations. There are plenty of Sports and sports themed things on property.... I feel like sports eat up the majority of everything in the world, Having a theme park and resorts and not having sports shoved completely down my throat is a plus...
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Wide world of sports is great for running events at, but it's not a place you can go and just hang out or catch a game. I'm talking about a place to go watch a game, just play around, etc. Like you said, it's the majority of things in the world. I would think having a place sports fans can come together would make sense. If you honestly think a building and sports bar is having it shoved completely down your throat, then I'll just move on. And this from someone who legit only watches 2 sports (neither of which would have any focus here).
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
LSLS said:
Wide world of sports is great for running events at, but it's not a place you can go and just hang out or catch a game. I'm talking about a place to go watch a game, just play around, etc. Like you said, it's the majority of things in the world. I would think having a place sports fans can come together would make sense. If you honestly think a building and sports bar is having it shoved completely down your throat, then I'll just move on. And this from someone who legit only watches 2 sports (neither of which would have any focus here).
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When Wide World of Sports was first built, it was intended to function as something like that. It had activities etc. but I think they gave up on that a long time ago.
 
networkpro

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
fgmnt said:
I speculated that if the ESPN Zone concept gets revived in this building it would need to come with a sportsbook component to make money. That would need state approval. Given how the state and Disney are playing with each other right now, that’s not happening.

An executive team that sees this giant unused building and needing a creative win would probably want to look at something like the Vegas Omega Mart as a launching pad. A unique concept that is an interactive indoor experience where people can buy a ticket and merchandise tied directly to the experience.
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Kind of ironic after so many years of Disney-paid lobbyist groups like Voters in Charge and No Casinos in Florida ...working together to a gambling amendment on the 2018 ballot that could basically freeze casino gambling.

Can they be both at the same time?
 
L

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
LSLS said:
Wide world of sports is great for running events at, but it's not a place you can go and just hang out or catch a game. I'm talking about a place to go watch a game, just play around, etc. Like you said, it's the majority of things in the world. I would think having a place sports fans can come together would make sense. If you honestly think a building and sports bar is having it shoved completely down your throat, then I'll just move on. And this from someone who legit only watches 2 sports (neither of which would have any focus here).
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Back in the day it was nice to see a Braves spring training game in March at ESPN.
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
Years ago there was Boardwalk and Baseball... where you could ride a rollercoaster and watch a baseball game... It was a re-theme of Circus World...they both failed. Sports Fans should go see a game then and not go to Walt Disney World... Sports and sports bars are everywhere... It is nice to go to WDW and be able to eat at a restaurant that doesn't have a sports theme or a game blaring on 25 TV sets in the dining room....
Incidentally, City Pour House is still open as a Sports Bar... and the Sports attraction yet again failed.
 
C

Comped

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
When Wide World of Sports was first built, it was intended to function as something like that. It had activities etc. but I think they gave up on that a long time ago.
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It, in the words of someone involved in it I knew "was supposed to be the 5th gate". Not quite!
networkpro said:
Kind of ironic after so many years of Disney-paid lobbyist groups like Voters in Charge and No Casinos in Florida ...working together to a gambling amendment on the 2018 ballot that could basically freeze casino gambling.

Can they be both at the same time?
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Disney has now realized that they need to flipto turn ESPN back into a moneymaker. No longer can they claim being anti-gambling is the smart play - ESPN Bet will result in Disney getting like 10-15% of Penn Entertainment, a major casino operator throughout the US. So they'll make money if they decide to flip out of their de facto alliance with Hard Rock (who wants to preserve their natural monopoly at all costs - despite the Governor taking a ton of money from Vegas casino companies to get reelected) to add a sportsbook on property. (Then again, I hear that Universal may want to go even further, but I have yet to get that substantiated.) Gran Destino looks like the Bellagio after all...
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
LSLS said:
Wide world of sports is great for running events at, but it's not a place you can go and just hang out or catch a game. I'm talking about a place to go watch a game, just play around, etc. Like you said, it's the majority of things in the world. I would think having a place sports fans can come together would make sense. If you honestly think a building and sports bar is having it shoved completely down your throat, then I'll just move on. And this from someone who legit only watches 2 sports (neither of which would have any focus here).
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They have moved away from sports in wdw…replacing former venues with Tupperware consignment shops and niche boutique bakeries
UNCgolf said:
When Wide World of Sports was first built, it was intended to function as something like that. It had activities etc. but I think they gave up on that a long time ago.
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A very long time ago…they have de-emphasized sports during emperor shorts reign…
Except the nba thing…which was probably in the contract and Bob signed a bad deal…which can never be admitted outloud.
MisterPenguin said:
It hasn't stopped being a money-maker.
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Down 29% subscribers from its peak and continues to gain momentum downward
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Interesting...what the NBA experience could have had if they (apparently) didn't spend their entire budget on demolishing and rebuilding a building

 

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