NBA Takes ‘I’m Going to Disney World’ to a Whole New Level

With the NBA leading the charge to resume sports, Disney World has surfaced as a potential bubble city venue for the league’s remaining games.

The vacation hub’s ESPN Wide World of Sports features multiple basketball courts that could be utilized to finish off the regular season or to dive right into playoff action.

Solving possible logistical hiccups, Disney World features countless hotels in and around the park. Hosting 16 or even 30 teams would be an easy feat for a venue that services millions of tourists every year.

A mountain the league needs to traverse is the availability of medical services. After weeks — potentially months — without gameplay, players will take some time returning to peak game form.

While injuries might have healed during the quarantine closure, some could be created or aggravated when competing for postseason glory.

Luckily for sports fans, the facilities of the Orlando Magic could be used to meet that challenge.

Ultimately, the health of players, trainers, and event staff will come first when weighing a return to action.

But if the NBA capitalizes on this opportunity and resumes the season in a controlled environment, they will have almost the entire sports market as an audience.

As a league that used to dominate the weekly ratings when stars like Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant (God bless) ran the floor, the NBA’s popularity has dipped below that of the NFL and even Major League Baseball.

With the underdog runs of the Vegas Golden Knights and Stanley Cup-winning St. Louis Blues, even the NHL began to nibble at its market share during the playoffs.

Despite rising viewership of its seasonal rivals, basketball remained king of the winter sports market.

But an early return could give millions of starved fans their sports fix. We’re talking millions in revenue from advertisers, merchandise sales, and potentially some ticket sales if socially-distanced crowds become a reality.

And if the NBA times its return right, it could feather the coattails of “The Last Dance” to increase its ratings even further.

The eyes of sports fans worldwide are upon the NBA as it weighs its options to continue the season.

But one thing’s for sure: when the NBA champions scream “I’m going to Disney World” this year, they’ll truly mean it.