ESPN plans to move college basketball events to ESPN Wide World of Sports

Posted: Tuesday September 22, 2020 11:15am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

According to ESPN.com, ESPN is planning to move several of its men's college basketball events to ESPN Wide World of Sports.

ESPN Wide World of Sports overview

Events expected to move to Walt Disney World include The Champions Classic, Charleston Classic, Myrtle Beach Invitational, NIT Season Tip-Off, Wooden Legacy, Orlando Invitational, Jimmy V Classic and Diamond Head Classic.

ESPN Wide World of Sports has recently successfully hosted the NBA and MLS in a secure bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

DCBakerOct 26, 2020

"ESPN is canceling plans to host eight of its men's college basketball events at one location in Orlando, Florida. ESPN had planned to move eight of its 10 nonconference events to the ESPN Wide World of Sports property at Walt Disney World in Orlando, including the Champions Classic, Charleston Classic, Myrtle Beach Invitational, NIT Season Tip-Off, Wooden Legacy, Orlando Invitational, Jimmy V Classic and Diamond Head Classic. The ESPN Wide World of Sports was the site for the NBA's bubble." "ESPN Events set out to create a protected environment for teams to participate in early-season events in Orlando," an official statement from ESPN said. "Based on certain challenges surrounding testing protocols, we opted to resume these tournaments during the 2021-22 season." https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30197592/espn-scraps-plans-host-8-men-college-basketball-events-orlando-bubble

HauntedMansionFLAOct 21, 2020

Hopefully this is still happening

LorangeJuiceSep 26, 2020

Following for the blimp pics. :)

Figments FriendSep 26, 2020

The Good Year Blimp has been cruising the skies above Pop Century for the last four nights I have been staying here. Kinda cool to see it up there circling the ESPN Sports Complex. I would post a photo I snapped, but not able to at the moment. -

NelleBelleSep 25, 2020

I know! This was my first thought thought, too 😮 But I think we’ve decided to go late enough that we won’t encounter this (we were initially tossing around March but I think we are definitely thinking May). It’s one thing if they open All Star resorts but a potential annoyance if they don’t (thinking of when NBA played—only worse as it’s college kids with no self control as we’ve seen lately). 😠

LilofanSep 23, 2020

That's actually not a bad idea. Maybe the CP cast who support the defunct program WDW who maybe on furlough could now be employed.

ToTBellHopSep 23, 2020

There’s the CP dorms...

Magic FeatherSep 23, 2020

The issue is that whenever Disney opens a resort for a sports team, they don’t want to have to reclose it, so they would just open it to the public. Disney isn’t really wanting to add a lot more to their hotel line up atm.

FeelsSoGoodToBeBadSep 23, 2020

My first thought was that March Madness would further complicate (crowd) Spring Break, but that's my selfish concerns raising their ugly head. Reading the ... blurb?..... that doesn't seem to be the case, though. 🤷‍♀️

ToTBellHopSep 22, 2020

They’re college kids. All-Stars will do.

Tha RealestSep 22, 2020

It looks like these are those preseason invitationals they have. Usually a few days, maybe a week tops. Often over holidays (Thanksgiving to early December)

NelleBelleSep 22, 2020

Ugh— if this happens, do we have a guess where they’re going to be lodged and for how long ( and when)??

MrPromeySep 22, 2020

Quick, someone call Bob and let him know how much money they stand to make by requiring a 14 day on-property quaranteen period for people to enter the Run-Disney-Bubble!