Disney Raises the Curtain on Rebranding Efforts at Disney’s Wide World of Sports

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Nov. 5, 2009 — Glimpsing into the future, Walt Disney World Resort today provided new details about ongoing efforts to re-imagine Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex with the ESPN brand.

With an expected grand re-opening on February 25, several signature ESPN elements will be added throughout the 220-acre facility, providing new entertainment and immersive experiences for guests and athletes. As part of the plan to take youth sports to a new level, the soon-to-be named ESPN Wide World of Sports will include:

* 20 video screens, including two JumboTrons that will include customized videos, highlight reels featuring the daily competitions and interviews involving ESPN sports personalities.

* A new 2,500 square foot state-of-the-art broadcast center with eight edit bays and a direct uplink to ESPN in Bristol, Conn.

* A new ESPN Innovation Lab facility where the ESPN Emerging Technology Group will develop ground-breaking on-air products and test them with the hundreds of sports events and athletes at the complex.

* A redesigned and renamed ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill, a sports-themed eatery with high-definition TV screens and live radio remote capabilities.

* Complex-wide audio system.

“The collaborative re-branding of Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex with ESPN is part of an aggressive growth strategy for our sports business aimed at leveraging the power of sports with the leisure travel business,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises.

By aligning the world’s No. 1 family vacation destination with the worldwide leader in sports, Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN will create an entertaining and immersive experience for the nearly 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators who come through the Disney sports complex each year.

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Debra Martin Koma wrote about food, travel and lifestyle issues for a number of local and national publications before she fell in love with Walt Disney World on her first visit — when she was 34! She's returned to her Laughing Place more times than she can count in the ensuing years, and enthusiastically shares her passion with readers of AllEars.Net and AllEars®. Deb also co-authored (along with Deb Wills) PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line, a travel guide designed for all travelers to Walt Disney World who may require special attention, from special diets to mobility issues.

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