Whilst the main focus of this site is on Walt Disney World theme parks, the Walt Disney World Resort tends to host many different types of events etc.
Yesterday, Pop Warner announced that they would be moving their massive Cheer and Dance, and Football competitions away from Walt Disney World and to Universal Orlando. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the fact that Disney World is play host to “bubble” events for major sporting leagues is the reason for the move.
Here’s what Pop Warner had to say about the news:
“We continue to have a great relationship with Disney and are sure families will visit the parks that week. While Disney has played host to our Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships for years, our partnership regarding championship week came to a pause when the global COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020.
We were putting final touches on a new agreement when Disney was suddenly tasked with hosting and create a bubble for professional leagues like the MLS and NBA at their ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. With so much uncertainty it was difficult for Disney to commit to the future and because our first priority is our Pop Warner members, we decided to start searching for a new location to ensure our teams had a first-class Championship home.
Luckily, we did not have to look far and found a highly experienced and well-respected partner in Florida Citrus Sports and exciting new location at Universal Orlando Resorts and Camping World Stadium, both of which we think will offer some amazing, new experiences for our athletes and their families.”
Pop Warner
This new agreement is described as a “multi-year” agreement, according to Blog Mickey. So it would appear Disney may be out of the picture for some time now.
Several years ago, Disney opened The ARENA, which is described as a space designed specifically for cheer and dance events. For the record, Pop Warner doesn’t represent Disney’s entire cheer schedule, but it’s fair to suggest that this is significant news to that segment of Walt Disney World’s business.
This news was initially reported by Blog Mickey.
Stay tuned to Orlando Theme Park Zone for more Orlando theme park-related news and information.
H/T Blog Mickey
