No More ESPN Weekends

[Brian Noble]

We go to Disney 5 or 6 weeks a year, but now, we will think twice about going there....

That's one long Weekend!

 

[ayefour corp.]

We are annual passholders...We planned our winter vacations around ESPN The WEEKEND!!!!!....We are very disappointed & contemplating not renewing our Annual Passes......

We may use our entertainment dollars elsewhere, instead of spending money on Annual Passes.....We go to Disney 5 or 6 weeks a year, but now, we will think twice about going there....

Really Guys? and I'm the troll?

 

[cwolnowski]

I think it is apparent that this is a cost-cutting measure by Disney. Despite Disney owning ESPN, Disney nevertheless needed to shell out a good amount of money to put on the event each year. Not only did they have to pay the athletes and tv anchors for doing the event, they had to provide free room and board for them (as well as their families). I think they just didn't see the revenue of people specifically visiting DisneyWorld that weekend for the event, and further, the publicity it drew and essentially the free advertising it got from ESPN viewers who saw it being broadcast, was not substantial enough to continue the event. It is sad nevertheless because it was a very fun, unique event.

 

[palmtreegirl]

That's a shame, more cutbacks, not surprising. We would go every year and it was packed.

 

[jakeman]

I think it is apparent that this is a cost-cutting measure by Disney.

Sure you can believe that, but then you have to willfully ignore this:

Do not assume I am blinded by any pixie dust, first off it's created in another department outside of my own

2nd. I have barely seen any mention of Disney's press release :

ESPN The Weekend will not return in 2012. We are shifting our focus beyond a one weekend event to future projects that leverage ESPN's growing year-round presence at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. We look forward to building on events such as the ESPN RISE Games and ESPN RISE Girls Showcase that provide a stage for tens of thousands of athletes around the country and those such as the Old Spice Classic and Home Depot College Football Awards that result in hundreds of hours of programming for ESPN.

Now this is sad for a lot of people, Do not get me wrong. But in the long run and grand scheme of things, it will make sense. Patience is a virtue. MAking better use of existing property, and clearing up crowding issues makes sense. Why have all the athletes and events in a park with 0 athletic presence when we have an amazing branded complex right around the corner?

It's not as if we cut star wars weekends, or the flower and garden festival.

Maybe I'm seeing more of the bigger picture, and less of the smaller one, for which I apologize for, but I surely can see both sides of the issue, but will side with this being an ok change.

And Lee's confirmation here:

Thanks, I meant to bring that up.
Just because the weekend event is leaving, that doesn't mean that the concept itself is dead. Expect it to be reborn, likely bigger, in some form in the future.

I bolded the pertinent part.

 

[Korfar]

Good riddence. I wish all of ESPN would be taken out of the parks. I am a sports fan but don't care for ESPN. I know they are owned by Disney so as long as that is the case ESPN will always have a presence.

 

[CJR]

I never really cared for this event. It was always a signal for me to avoid the parks that day.

Still, it's a loss for all of those who enjoyed the event. However, it does note that they might be doing more ESPN related events throughout the year instead. So while it's a loss, it might end up being better in the long run. They can really bring some life into the ESPN WWoS with the right stuff going on there.