by Beth Keating
News
DisneyBizJournal.com
January 24, 2021
Disney’s ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex has been home to all sorts of sports events, from Major League Baseball spring training camps, to cheerleading competitions, to “NBA bubbles” of late. Soon, youth baseball teams from across the United States will be descending on the site for “The Ripken Experience at Walt Disney World.”
Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., a shortstop and third baseman for more than two decades with Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles, and his brother Bill, an Emmy Award nominee who was also an MLB player (with the Orioles, Rangers, Indians, and Tigers), created a group of sports complexes for hosting and teaching young baseball players. Their locations include Aberdeen, Maryland; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Their newest undertaking is at the ESPN Complex in Orlando, Florida, where “The Ripken Experience Walt Disney World” takes place at the 9,500 seat Champion Stadium, with 11 fields available for tournament play. Champion Stadium is the former home of a variety of spring training events for professional baseball.
Beginning in June, young athletes from across the country can join their teams in tournament play for week-long experiences at the ESPN complex that will include a variety of games, skills competitions, and the thrill of playing at Disney!
Early registration pricing expires January 28, so you’ll need to act soon to take advantage of discounted prices. Participants will also have access to special rates offered at a variety of Walt Disney World Resort hotels by booking lodging through the Disney Sports Travel service team (details available in The Ripken Experience registration packets). Players and their families will also have access to specially priced Disney World Theme Park Tickets.
The tournament packages include:
• 6 Game Guarantee / 9 Game Maximum
• Opening Day Ceremonies
• Skills Competitions
• PA Announcements and Walk-Up Music
• MLB Tournament Ambassador (including Private Coach Q & A Session)
• ESPN Wide World of Sports On-Set Interviews for Tournament Champions
• Player & Coach Gifts
• Ripken Experience Rings
There are four week-long options, but the weeks do vary by age eligibility (see the registration packet at The Ripken Experience for specifics.)
• Week #1: June 13-18
• Week #2: June 20-25
• Week #3: June 27-July 2
• Week #4: July 11-16
The tournament schedule includes:
• Sunday: Opening Day & Skills Competitions
• Monday - Wednesday: Pool Play
• Thursday - Friday: Bracket Play and Championships
The Ripken brothers also founded the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation in memory of their father, a big league catcher, coach and manager (also with the Orioles!) with nearly four decades of experience in teaching other ball players how to be their best at baseball. He passed on his dedication to the sport not only to his own sons, but to scores of other players, and now the Ripken brothers are doing the same for other students as well.
Fun Fact from Ripken Baseball: On July 11, 1987, Bill Ripken began his major league career when he took the field with the Baltimore Orioles. The day would make history, as the team was managed by his father, Cal Ripken, Sr., and one of his teammates was his brother, Cal Jr., the shortstop. It would mark the only time that a father managed two of his sons in the big leagues at the same time!
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
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