The ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hasn’t just shut down theme parks, it’s effectively shut down the sports world as well, with the risk of athletes contracting the virus in such close quarters, and the notion of mass gatherings in stadiums being a definite no-go. Now, former Cast Member turned Sports Commentator Keith Smith has pinned the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Walt Disney World as an ideal location to salvage the 2019-2020 NBA season.
Among all of the options available to salvage the NBA season, one in particular stands out to Smith, and that’s sequestering the entire league and playing games at a single site. All players, coaches, trainers, officials, broadcasters and everyone else necessary for competition would be effectively housed throughout the season in one particular location, limiting the exposure to the outside world, and therefore, the virus.
In his Yahoo Sports piece, Smith outlines why Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, paired with nearby resorts, would make the ideal location to save the NBA season. The league could seek accommodations at Disney’s Art of Animation and Pop Century Resorts, or alternatively at Disney’s Riviera Resort if more higher-end housing was needed. (Though not mentioned in the article, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort might also be a valid option, and a step above the value resorts.)
In terms of places to practice and broadcast games, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex already has the Visa Center, which can can be set up to house as many as six full-sized basketball courts, or configured stadium-style with one primary court. Like the HP Field House, the Visa Center is also broadcast-ready.
Additional logistical components would include the ability to create a contained bubble within private Disney property, not to mention the already-existing positive relationship between the NBA and Disney. To further the Disney World argument, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently declared that live professional sports are essential services, making the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex a no-brainer in case the NBA decided to go this route.
For more details on Keith Smith’s ESPN Wide World of Sports proposal, we highly recommend reading his full post here.