ESPN The Weekend

Disney's Hollywood Studios

  • Main Details

  • Ticketed Event
  • Park Ticket Required
  • Annual Event
  • Important Dates

  • Opening February 2003
  • Closed March 2011
Description

For more information see http://espn.go.com/espntheweekend/ 

Disney announced on July 22 2011 that ESPN The Weekend will not be returning for 2012.


2011 ESPN The Weekend Detailed Schedule and Guidemap

Full schedule (text)

Guidemap scan

2011 ESPN The Weekend Details

The 2011 EPSN The Weekend event at Disney's Hollywood Studios will be held from Mar 3 - Mar 6 2011.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Marquee stars from the NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA, plus well-known ESPN on-air personalities, are headed back to Walt Disney World Resort for the eighth annual Dick's Sporting Goods presents ESPN The Weekend -- a sports-themed weekend March 4-6 where fans have a one-of-a-kind opportunity see and hear many of their favorite athletes and ESPN personalities.

This year's lineup at Disney's Hollywood Studios features more than 35 athletes and ESPN stars, including former University of Florida football coach and current ESPN college football analyst Urban Meyer, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco, N.Y. Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, NBA Hall of Famer Julius "Dr. J" Erving and MLB Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., plus former NFL star Derrick Brooks, ex-NBA great Alonzo Mourning and current Orlando Magic players.

Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, hosts of the popular "Mike & Mike in the Morning" show, return as co-hosts of the event, and will broadcast live March 3-4 from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney. They will be joined by several fellow ESPN personalities such as "The Herd" host Colin Cowherd, "Monday Night Football's" Ron Jaworski and MLB analyst Nomar Garciaparra.

Additional ESPN personalities include, Tedy Bruschi, Linda Cohn, Herm Edwards, John Kruk, Karl Ravech, Bobby Valentine and Trey Wingo.

Other athletes expected to participate are Donald Driver and Greg Jennings (Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers), Anquan Boldin (Baltimore Ravens), Brandon Jacobs (NY Giants), Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh Steelers), Darrelle Revis (NY Jets), Bart Scott (NY Jets), Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons), DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) and Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys); Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain (NY Yankees); Frank Thomas and Bernie Williams (MLB legends); Mia Hamm (U.S. Women's soccer legend); Karl Malone and Gary Payton (NBA legends); and Tony Dorsett and Mike Singletary (NFL Hall of Famers).

The complete list of ESPN personalities and sports celebrities expected to attend is detailed at www.espntheweekend.com (Click on Who's Coming).

For the first time in the event's history, several popular sports team mascots will participate in the event, including the Phillie Phanatic (Philadelphia Phillies), Albert E. Gator (University of Florida), the Penn State Nittany Lion, the Oregon Duck, Homer The Brave (Atlanta Braves), Captain Fear the Buccaneer (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Sebastian the Ibis (University of Miami).

In addition to athlete appearances, ESPN The Weekend will feature on-site telecasts of popular ESPN programs (beginning Thursday, March 3) at Disney's Hollywood Studios and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney, including "Baseball Tonight," "First Take," "Mike & Mike in the Morning," "NFL Live" and "Friday Night Fights;" motorcades and Q&A sessions with athletes and ESPN personalities; Inside ESPN sports shows with commentators and athletes; and the ESPN Sports Zone interactive area where fans can interact with their favorite sports stars. There will also be Atlanta Braves spring training games taking place at ESPN Wide World of Sports, including a March 3 game against the Tigers that airs on ESPN with new "Sunday Night Baseball'' crew Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser and Valentine.

To find the latest updates on Twitter for ESPN The Weekend, go to @DisneySports and search #ESPNWKND.

LIVE ON-SITE BROADCASTS AND STAGE SHOWS

ESPN will present live telecasts -- including "Baseball Tonight," "First Take" and "NFL Live" from a set in front of Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat on Hollywood Boulevard at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Park guests will have a chance to appear on-air via crowd shots while watching the programming on video screens. Popular ESPN Radio shows "Mike & Mike in the Morning" and "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd will be broadcast live from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex March 3-4.

As Major League Baseball Spring Training games get underway in Florida, ESPN's on-site program lineup will feature a special two-hour "Baseball Tonight" with host Ravech and analysts Garciaparra, Kruk and Valentine from the theme park March 6 at 4 p.m. ET as ESPN's popular baseball news, information and highlights show kicks off its 21st season.

ESPN Deportes' "Beisbol Esta Noche" with Carolina Guillen and Candy Maldonado will broadcast from Disney's Hollywood Studios, while "Jorge Ramos y Su Banda," with Jorge Ramos, Hernan Pereyra and Jose del Valle, will go live from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Radio Disney's on-air personality Ernie D will be broadcasting live from ESPN The Weekend on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m. ET, featuring interviews with athletes.

Additionally, live stage shows will bring fans and guests behind-the-scenes of some of the network's most popular programs, including "Baseball Tonight," "First Take," "NFL Live" and "Stump the Schwab." The shows will provide an inside look at favorite athletes, teams and ESPN programs. Fans can get into the action themselves by asking questions directly to ESPN personalities and athletes.

ESPN SPORTS ZONE INTERACTIVE AREA

The ESPN Sports Zone will give guests of all ages the opportunity to test their skills at a wide variety of sports. MLB-, NBA-, NFL- and BASS-themed interactive areas within the Zone will have fans swinging for the fences, shooting baskets and throwing passes, as well as Dick's Sporting Goods' Sports Caravan, a multi-sport interactive area.

ESPN RADIO'S MIKE & MIKE HOST "ULTIMATE GUY'S WEEKEND"

ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" will broadcast live from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Thursday and Friday, March 3-4 (6-10 a.m. ET). Co-hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic will also host the "Ultimate Guy's Weekend" during ESPN The Weekend, including activities such a round of golf, Friday Night Fights, a clambake and much more. ESPN Radio's popular morning-drive show launched in January 2000 and today is heard (and seen on ESPN2) by more than 12 million listeners each week on more than 350 stations nationwide.

YANKEE LEGEND TO PERFORM NIGHTLY

Four-time MLB world champion turned classical guitarist Bernie Williams, who closed out last year's event with a live performance on "Baseball Tonight," returns and will perform all three nights at the Sorcerer Hat Stage to close out the day's activities. The former New York Yankee outfielder, who plays and composes his own music, has released two albums, The Journey Within and Moving Forward.

FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will host its first-ever "Friday Night Fights" on March 4, with six professional bouts planned for the Jostens Center. The marquee event features two undefeated fighters, NABF Light Heavyweight Champion Ismayl Sillakh (14-0-0) and challenger Yordanis Despaigne (8-0-0), headlining a series of bouts scheduled to air on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET.

5K ROAD RACE AND FUN RUN

The Champion 5K at Dick's Sporting Goods Presents ESPN The Weekend returns for its third year at Disney's Hollywood Studios on Saturday, March 5, at 7 a.m., challenging runners along the course with ESPN and sports trivia and will feature athletes and ESPN personalities, including Jay Crawford, Dana Jacobson and Trey Wingo. The 5K will benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and all participants will receive a T-shirt and finisher's medal. There will also be a Fun Run for kids at 8 a.m. To register, visit runDisney.com.

TICKETING AND ADMISSION

Event activities are included in regular admission to Disney's Hollywood Studios. The Walt Disney World innovative ticket pricing system, Magic Your Way, provides guests with the opportunity to customize their vacations and Florida residents can save on tickets all year long. Separate tickets must be purchased for events at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.


2010 ESPN The Weekend Details

The 2010 EPSN The Weekend event at Disney's Hollywood Studios will be held from Feb 26 - Feb 28 2010.

"Hot Set" ESPN Live Telecasts
Catch favorite ESPN shows including ESPN First Take, NFL Live and Baseball Tonight plus much more. ESPN will be telecasting from the Sorcerer's Hat Stage throughout the weekend. Come be part of the live TV audience!

ESPN Personality Appearances
John Anderson
Tim Kurkjian
Skip Bayless
Buster Olney
Tedy Bruschi
Sal Paolantonio
Colin Cowherd
Jay Crawford
Karl Ravech
Mike Golic
Mark Schlereth
Mike Greenberg
Howie Schwab
Jay Harris
Chris Singleton
Dana Jacobson
Sage Steele
Al Jaffe
Dick Vitale
Ron Jaworski
Bobby Valentine
John Kruk
Trey Wingo

Athlete Appearances
Mike Alstott
Brandi Chastain
Joba Chamberlain
Brian Dawkins
Darrell Green
Devin Hester
Robert Horry
Steven Jackson
Shawn Johnson
Maurice Jones-Drew
Rick Mahorn
Misty May-Treanor
Rashard Mendenhall
Chad Ochocinco
Jim Palmer
Scottie Pippen
CC Sabathia
Curt Schilling
Annika Sorenstam
Steve Spurrier
Frank Thomas
Thurman Thomas
Adam Vinatieri
Bernie Williams
DeAngelo Williams
Jason Witten

Inside ESPN
Swing into the Premiere Theater and go Inside ESPN with athlete Q&A's hosted by NFL Live and Baseball Tonight. Your favorite ESPN experts on the subject will chat about two of America's favorite past-times alongside legendary and superstar athletes.

Motorcades and Conversations
See famous sports celebrities in Hollywood-style motorcades and question & answer sessions throughout the day from Hollywood Boulevard and the Sorcerer's Hat Stage. Get an up-close look and the chance to ask questions of the sports stars in exclusive on-stage chats!

Dream Job – The Experience
Think you've got what it takes to be on SportsCenter? Take a look behind the scenes of ESPN's Dream Job. Aspiring sportscasters from the audience will experience what it's like to audition for ESPN. Selected contestants will be put through a series of "on-air" tasks and the audience will select the best "sportscaster" with their applause. Plus - you never know what celebrity might stop by to help mentor the contestants!

Stump the Schwab All-Star Game
So you think your sports knowledge is pretty good? Do you want to go up against the best? Here's your chance to go head to head with the Sultan of Sports Trivia, Howie Schwab! Contestants team up with Sports Celebrities in a three-round elimination game with the winning team going face to face with "The Schwab" in a final showdown. Put all that sports trivia knowledge to the ultimate test as you battle to Stump the Schwab!

ESPN Sports Zone
Take your best shot in this interactive sports zone with fun for the whole family! Come play and be part of the action all weekend long!


2009 ESPN The Weekend Details

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN and Walt Disney World Resort are again offering fans the opportunity to see and hear ESPN personalities and current and legendary athletes during ESPN The Weekend presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, a one-of-a-kind sports-themed special event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Feb. 27-March 1.

ESPN personalities John Anderson, Colin Cowherd, Jay Crawford, Mike Golic, Mike Greenberg, Dana Jacobson, Chris McKendry, Karl Ravech, Stuart Scott and Trey Wingo are scheduled to participate, along with more than 30 athletes, including NFL quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner andrecently retired Brett Favre;2009MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson; and U.S. Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson and Misty May-Treanor, among many others. The ESPN personalities and sports celebrities expected to attend the sixth annual event are listed at www.espntheweekend.com (click on Who’s Coming).

ESPN The Weekend will feature on-site telecasts of popular ESPN programs (beginning Thursday, Feb. 26), including Baseball Tonight, First Take, Mike & Mike in the Morning, NFL Live and interview segments on SportsCenter; motorcades and Q&A sessions with athletes and ESPN personalities; Inside ESPN sports shows with commentators and athletes; live ESPN Radio broadcasts; and the ESPN Sports Zone interactive area. Guests also will be able to enjoy all the popular shows and attractions at the theme park during Disney’s “What Will You Celebrate?” celebration. Dick’s Sporting Goods will serve as presenting sponsor of the event for the third straight year.

LIVE ON-SITE ESPN TELECASTS
ESPN will present live daily telecasts -- including First Take (10 a.m., ESPN2) and NFL Live (4 p.m., ESPN, Feb. 26-27 –from a set in front of Mickey’s Sorcerer's Hat on Hollywood Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Park guests will have a chance to appear on-air via crowd shots while watching the programming on in-park video screens. Popular ESPN Radio shows Mike & Mike in the Morning and The Herd with Colin Cowherdwill be broadcast live from the ESPN Club at Disney’s BoardWalk on Feb. 26-27.

As Major League Baseball Spring Training games get underway in Florida, ESPN’s on-site program lineup will feature the Atlanta Braves’ home game against the Houston Astros at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex (Feb. 26, 1 p.m.). Also, Karl Ravech will host a special two-hour Baseball Tonight with analysts Peter Gammons, John Kruk, Steve Phillips and Chris Singleton from the theme park March 1 at 4 p.m. as ESPN’s popular baseball news, information and highlights show kicks off its 20th season.

INSIDE ESPN
Live stage shows will bring fans and guests behind-the-scenes of some of the network's most popular programs, including SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, First Take, NFL Live and Stump the Schwab. The shows will provide an inside look at favorite athletes, teams and ESPN programs. Fans can get into the action themselves by asking questions directly to ESPN personalities and athletes.

DREAM JOB – THE EXPERIENCE
Guests who think they have what it takes to be on SportsCenter can experience what it’s like to audition for ESPN. Select contestants will go through a series of “on-air” tasks and the audience will select the best “sportscaster” during each show. ESPN personalities and sports celebrities will help mentor contestants as part of the experience.

MOTORCADES AND CONVERSATIONS
Periodically throughout each day, sports stars will motorcade up the park's Hollywood Boulevard to the stage at the base of Mickey’s Sorcerer's Hat and join ESPN commentators for conversations about their careers and Q&A sessions with park guests.

ESPN SPORTS ZONE INTERACTIVE AREA
The ESPN Sports Zone will give guests of all ages the opportunity to test their skills at a wide variety of sports, including biking on an X Games dirt course. MLB-, NBA- and NFL-themed interactive areas within the Zone will have fans swinging for the fences, shooting baskets and throwing passes, as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods’ Sports Caravan, a multi-sport interactive area.

The ESPN Sports Zone will also include an ESPN Play Your Way playground. A fitness initiative launched in May 2004 to address youth obesity, Play Your Way was designed by Team ESPN, the corporate outreach program for ESPN, Inc., to inspirekids 7-12 years old to use their imagination and create their own physically active games.

5K ROAD RACE AND FUN RUN
A new addition to ESPN The Weekend, this 5K race through Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Sat., Feb. 28 at 7 a.m.) will challenge runners along the course with ESPN and sports trivia and will feature athletes and ESPN personalities, including Anderson, Ravech and Wingo. Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods, the 5K will benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and all participants will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. There will also be a Fun Run for kids at 8:30 a.m. To register, visit www.disneyenduranceseries.com

TICKETING AND ADMISSION
Event activities are included in regular admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Walt Disney World Resort’s innovative ticket pricing system "Magic Your Way" provides guests with the opportunity to customize their vacations, and Florida residents can save on tickets all year long.

For more information on ESPN The Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort and to book travel, visit www.espntheweekend.com