Disney says Wide World of Sports attendance grows despite recession

Featured, Jason Garcia, News — By Jason Garcia on November 9, 2009 at 9:46 am

Walt Disney World pulled back the curtain a bit last week on its plans to weave ESPN into its Wide World of Sports, where executives hope that ESPN’s universally recognized sports brand will help lure even more sporting events and athletes to the giant resort.

Even before ESPN’s arrival, Disney said, business is thriving at Wide World of Sports. Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises, said attendance at the complex has continued to grow this year despite the overall traffic slump brought on by the global recession.

“This year, in particular, we’ve had our best growth ever,” Potrock said last week.

Potrock attributed Wide World’s “recession resistance” in part to parents’ reluctance to sacrifice experiences such as youth sports. “Parents will skimp on a lot of different things in tough economic times,” Potrock said. “But they don’t want to skimp on things for their children — especially things that are character-building.”

Disney built Wide World of Sports as a way to drive more traffic to its theme parks and hotels in Orlando. Potrock said a large majority of attendees at Wide World of Sports visit one of the resort’s theme parks; about half, he said, are on “package to compete” deals in which the team or organization they are traveling with must also buy theme park tickets and/or hotel rooms.

 Print This Post