An interesting piece by Keith Smith (a former Walt Disney Company employee) on Yahoo Sports presents a compelling argument as to why Walt Disney World Resort could be the perfect location “for the NBA to salvage its season.”

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

It goes without saying that the current global situation which has resulted in the temporary closure of Disney Parks around the globe has, of course, had major impacts far and wide. And this particular piece explores a way to continue the 2019-2020 National Basketball Association season, which has been suspended.

Smith expresses that, among the options that have been explored to save the remainder of the current season, all of them involve games played in empty arenas without fans for “quite some time.”

One idea which “seems to be garnering support” is “sequestering the entire league and playing games at a single site.” All the major players in the game (no pun intended) including athletes, coaches, trainers, broadcasters, and more would be sequestered in one place. And Smith presents several reasons why Walt Disney World is — in many ways — ideal.

ESPN Tervis Tumbler

Chief among them is housing through the sheer amount of hotel rooms available throughout the Resort. (Smith mentions Disney’s Art of Animation and Pop Century, specifically, due to their location near The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and also notes the new Riviera Resort as a higher-end option with all the desired amenities.)

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Of course, basketball facilities would also be in order, which Smith points out would easily be available at The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, including 12 game play courts and “broadcast-ready facilities.”

Jostens Center at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

Walt Disney World also provides an advantage over other potential sites by virtue of being a private company with the ability to “create a bubble.”

And, let’s not forget, there is already an established relationship between Disney and the NBA, with Disney’s ownership of ESPN and the partnership between the two which led to the recently opened NBA Experience in Disney Springs.

NBA Experience

There’s some food for thought, and you can explore the topic and each point further by reading Keith Smith’s article in full on Yahoo Sports.

Source: Yahoo Sports

You can read more about various ways the Disney Parks in particular are being impacted by the current global situation by visiting any of the links provided below.

What do you think of the idea of Walt Disney World hosting the NBA for the remainder of the season? Please let us know with a comment!