News WDW loses Pop Warner to Universal and Camping World Stadium

[Disstevefan1]

I agree with you. Disney has not kept up with the competition. They need more space in their parks or even added a new park. Disney just thinks everyone will come because of their name. So they have gotten away with being cheap over the last number of years. They need to just fire everyone at the top and start over. You need fresh meat, not just recylce the people at the top.

Fact is, pre pandemic, everyone needed to chase WDW. Pre pandemic, WDW was the leader and no one came close, everyone else only chipped away at the business WDW had.

Even now, my feeling is WDW is too big to fail, too big to lose the top spot as THE vacation destination in central Florida.. Universal, Seaworld, legoland, are doing their best, especially Universal, but WDW will remain the king for vacation destinations in central Florida..

 

[matt9112]

The kids will be fine at Camping World Stadium? Apparently you don't know the neighborhood surrounding the stadium.

I just said i work around there all the time....i know the area well. The wwe comes there as well as multiple sporting events etc....nobody wonders off into the hood lol.

Universal is probably alot cheaper and Disney is too busy playing baby sitter for the NBA. Cash cash baby.

 

[matt9112]

Let me be clear. Inside the stadium it would probably be ok for the kids to play. The neighborhood that surrounds the athletic venue , it is not safe, so get in, play your event and get out of the area when completed. Shootings, assaults , drug dealings etc occur in the area on a regular basis but you may not be aware of that. Pop Warner has made a big mistake in leaving the safer environment of WDW.

You sound rediculous....honestly....the bad actors in that area are not lying in wait to jump some kids....to be fair there isn't much to do right there outside of shooting over to orlando proper but im sure there will be alot of dedicated transport from the stadium back to universal etc.

 

[techgeek]

Even now, my feeling is WDW is too big to fail, too big to lose the top spot as THE vacation destination in central Florida..

Looking throughout the history of tourism in Florida, that’s a dangerous assumption to hold.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

Historically they’ve used DME for all airport movements and Mears for all movements to and from WWOS relying only on Disney buses for their off/park days

Thank you.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I was hoping to find a financial impact but couldn’t find anything online so I came up with the following rough estimate:

Pop Warner football and the Cheer competition attract about 11,000-12,000 coaches, participants, and family members a year. At $3000 per party of 4 (5 nights plus park hopper tickets) Pop Warner accounts for roughly $10-15 million a year in room and ticket sales. If we assume another $50-100 per day in additional spending per person that’s another $2.5-$5 million in lost sales.

There are a lot of unknowns still but this gives a very rough estimate of $12.5-20 million per year from Pop Warner.

It was reported the NBA paid Disney $150 million for the bubble last year. I can’t find what the MLS paid but I’m guessing it was in the tens of millions.

From a financial standpoint Disney made more hosting the NBA and MLS for a few months than they’d have made from Pop Warner over the next decade, and that’s assuming 100% of the Pop Warner attendees won‘t spend any time or money at WDW which is unlikely.

From a business standpoint its hard to fault them for prioritizing the bubbles, especially since they’ve got billions tied up in the TV contracts also.

 

[Lilofan]

You sound rediculous....honestly....the bad actors in that area are not lying in wait to jump some kids....to be fair there isn't much to do right there outside of shooting over to orlando proper but im sure there will be alot of dedicated transport from the stadium back to universal etc.

You sound far fetched with your fantasy. The neighborhood around CWS has a regular amount of police activity - Fact. However a number of sports venues are in located in shady neighborhoods not just in Orlando.

 

[asianway]

Pop and Cheer were lost due to Disney providing a bubble for NBA G (Basketball 'minors'). Since Uni signed a multi-year contract with them, they won't be back soon.

Disney Loses Pop Warner Cheer, Dance, and Football to Universal Orlando Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

Bubbles are still looking to be a thing in December? Isn’t the NBA non bubble right now?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Bubbles are still looking to be a thing in December? Isn’t the NBA non bubble right now?

Sounds like they were in contract negotiations last year when Disney shifted all their attention to creating the 2020 bubbles, Pop didn’t like being in limbo and not having a contract for 2021 so they started looking elsewhere and made a deal with Universal.

 

[Getachew]

Looking throughout the history of tourism in Florida, that’s a dangerous assumption to hold.

eh, Universal has no chance.

 

[HarperRose]

Looking throughout the history of tourism in Florida, that’s a dangerous assumption to hold.

Especially now.

 

[HarperRose]

Bubbles are still looking to be a thing in December? Isn’t the NBA non bubble right now?

The "G" League is the one that's in a bubble at WDW.

 

[bigorangeandy]

Hopefully it will work out best the the players and cheerleaders, as the games and competition are for them. We would plan not to be at Disney during these events as we tried to stay away from known (at least to us) large events. We did arrive a time or two as the championship week was ending and didn't have any issues.

 

[dmw]

Historically they’ve used DME for all airport movements and Mears for all movements to and from WWOS relying only on Disney buses for their off/park days

During our stay at Pop in 2019, we saw a fair number of teams arrive in personal transportation. Lots of trailers and vans of equipment were being unloaded from the parking lot.

 

[Lilofan]

Fact is, pre pandemic, everyone needed to chase WDW. Pre pandemic, WDW was the leader and no one came close, everyone else only chipped away at the business WDW had.

Even now, my feeling is WDW is too big to fail, too big to lose the top spot as THE vacation destination in central Florida.. Universal, Seaworld, legoland, are doing their best, especially Universal, but WDW will remain the king for vacation destinations in central Florida..

Florida tourism to the world starting Oct 1, 1971 when MK opened. All others are considered pre Disney and post Disney.

 

[grimb168]

Convention business is big for Disney and most on hold now. Most groups used All Stars which most are not sure if this will open for the summer, pop century and Caribbean beach. All ESPNWWOS cast members are deployed other places and no longer have their seasonal cast members,and college program cast which made up 75% of the working facilities cast. Let’s not forget the continuous stream of bands, choirs, orchestras and dance groups that are not performing at Disney. Those that will be traveling are looking at Universal for 2 days and going other places.

 

[Mr Mindcrime]

From a financial standpoint Disney made more hosting the NBA and MLS for a few months than they’d have made from Pop Warner over the next decade, and that’s assuming 100% of the Pop Warner attendees won‘t spend any time or money at WDW which is unlikely.

One thing that discounts though, and has been mentioned earlier in this thread, is the opportunity cost of creating Disney brand loyalty and future Disney customers. In terms of today's revenues, your analysis on the surface is correct. But for the next 20-30 years, the NBA won't necessarily be back every year but those Pop Warner kids who might've turned into life-long Disney addicts, may now be Universal devotees.

 

[TransportationGuy]

During our stay at Pop in 2019, we saw a fair number of teams arrive in personal transportation. Lots of trailers and vans of equipment were being unloaded from the parking lot.

Some teams opted to do their own thing, but it was baked into the cost. It does raise an interesting point as to where all these oversized vehicle are going to park. The Universal hotel parking is almost entirely made up of parking garages

 

[Lilofan]

Hopefully these kids are getting coached well ( I doubt it ). More should be addressed about long term traumatic brain injuries since these young ones are going full on aggression hitting and tackling the opponent.

 

[deeevo]

I think disney has to be careful. That was a lot of young kids exposed to Disney at an early age every year and going home to tell their friends what a great time. Now they will be saying about Universal.
Disney does not realize it is not the only game in town and when those youngsters grow up, will they be Disney or Universal fans. In 10 to 20 years where will they spend the money. My bet is that is will be Universal first.

Very good point