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Brought to fans, investors, entrepreneurs, executives, teachers, professors, and students by columnist, economist, novelist, reviewer, podcaster, business reporter and speaker Ray Keating

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Saturday, September 9, 2023

Breaking News from Destination D23 at Disney World

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 9, 2023

 

Many of you were glued to your computers this morning watching the Destination D23 livestream from the Contemporary Resort at Disney World in Florida. D23 is the official Disney Fan Club.


This fan-gathering is always the home of breaking Disney Parks news, amidst the fun and interesting discussion panels, entertainment segments and, of course, merchandise shopping, and today didn’t disappoint. Here are some of the bulleted highlights of the Saturday event (September 9, 2023), many of them announced by 
Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products himself.  If you haven’t been hovering over YouTube all day for the latest news, here are some of the scoops.


Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog


NEW AT EPCOT:


 “Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana” will be officially opening to the general public on October 16th. There will also be a Moana character meet-and-greet there. (DVC and Annual Passholder Previews will be underway shortly.)

 

• World Celebration will open in EPCOT in December.


Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog


• Figment fans, make your way to EPCOT this weekend – your favorite purple Figment will begin meeting and greeting in person, tomorrow (September 10, 2023) in the Imagination pavilion. Be warned – he is HUGE! The walk-around character was taller than most of the cast who joined him on stage for a rousing chorus of Figment’s “Imagination” theme song.


• In more EPCOT news, the new fireworks show now has a name and debut date:  “Luminous: The Symphony of Us” will arrive on December 5, 2023.

 

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog


• The upcoming film Wish will introduce folks to Asha, and she will subsequently be appearing in EPCOT, Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.


• Guests who wax nostalgic about the old version of Test Track will be pleased to hear that Disney will be partnering with Chevrolet to reimagine Test Track and will take as its inspiration the original World of Motion.


Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog


• At this afternoon’s panel, “EPCOT: Always in a State of Becoming,” it was announced that for a limited time, guests at EPCOT will be able to experience the original cut of “Soarin’ Over California” as part of the Disney100 celebration, beginning September 22, 2023.


NEW AT HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS


• The “Star Tours” attraction will be adding “Ahsoka” to the lineup in the spring, including at Disney World, Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

 
NEW AT MAGIC KINGDOM:


• The “Country Bear Jamboree” will be getting new songs for a new act, with the atmosphere being classic jamboree/Nashville-style in tone. Disney also revealed new artwork for the show, “Country Bear Musical Jamboree,” opening in 2024.


• Over in Adventureland, near Pirates of the Caribbean, there will be a new pirates’ themed tavern introduced, with the name and opening date of the restaurant/lounge to be shared later.


• Construction on his new home has already been underway, but at long last, the Hatbox Ghost will be arriving at Magic Kingdom in late November!


• Imagineer Bruce Vaughn joined D’Amaro and talked about the possibilities with the proposed expansion in the area “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain,” first broached in the Blue Sky projects at the last D23 gathering.  While the specific attractions and shows haven’t been named yet, Vaughn indicated that the scope of the project will be similar in scale to the Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora expansions – in other words, a very large addition to that end of the park!


NEW AT ANIMAL KINGDOM:


• The biggest news out of the Animal Kingdom is the long-anticipated revamp of DinoLand – to “the Tropical Americas.” According to Disney, they are “diving deep into their research” and “New experiences inspired by Encanto – the Academy Award winning Walt Disney Animation Studios film – and the fan-favorite adventurer Indiana Jones are being considered for the reimagined land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort.” (Before you throw on your fedora and grab your bullwhip, note the wording “are being considered” in the language... though there were very broad hints about these IPs during the discussion of the land.)


Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog


• The Tree of Life will be getting a new show inspired by Zootopia, likely to be replacing “A Bug’s Life” inside the theatre in the base of the Tree of Life, though that wasn’t explicitly stated. Since the show will include animatronics, that indicates to us that it won’t just be an evening projections’ show on the outside of the Tree, but an overhaul of the show inside.

 

NEW AT DISNEY CRUISE LINE:


• Disney Cruise Line announced the name for the new, 7th ship in its fleet: the Disney Adventure.  This cruise, featuring Disney, Pixar, and Marvel stories on board, will be home ported in Singapore.



• In another Cruise Line announcement, the name of Disney’s newest private port will be “Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point” in the Bahamas. (The first cruise sailing there will be the Disney Magic, on June 16, 2024.)

 

NEW AT DISNEYLAND-CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE:


• Avengers Campus is getting a new attraction, where guests will be able to battle alongside the Avengers, and come face to face with big bad villain Thanos, complete with new ride vehicles in a hub for the multiverse! New Avengers “technology” will allow “recruits” to connect to the multiverse, and will transport participants on a multi-world mission. D23 guests got a peek at the ride vehicles.

 

NEW AT INTERNATIONAL PARKS:


• D23 fans also got a look at Hong Kong’s “World of Frozen,” opening November 30, 2023.


FUTURE FAN EVENT:

 

• Looking forward to the next big D23 event?  It was announced that next year’s event is being called “D23 The Ultimate Disney Fan Event,” and will take place from August 8th-11th in and around Anaheim, California. The D23 kickoff celebration will take place at Disneyland Resort on August 8th, 2024, with other panels and exhibits happening during the day on August 9th through 11th at the Anaheim Convention Center, providing more space for more guests. At night, participants will head to shows in the indoor NHL hockey arena at the Honda Center.

 

Tickets for these events aren’t on sale yet, but mark your calendars now, because when they do drop (sometime in spring 2024), they are certain to go really fast!  They typically sell out in a matter of hours.

 

CLOSING REMARKS:


Josh D’Amaro wrapped up “A Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” by saying, “We are going to speed up; we are not going to slow down, and over the next decade, we are going to have more projects under way than at any point in our history – any point in our history.  We are planning to invest billions of dollars in our destinations around the world.” 

 

Disney fans will be looking forward to it.

 

__________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

Sunday, July 17, 2022

ESPN+ Price Hike Coming and What About NFL Sunday Ticket?

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 17, 2022

 

A price hike is coming for ESPN+ subscribers, according to a CNBC report, but not for those who subscribe via the Disney bundle, that is, Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu packaged together.



CNBC noted that the monthly subscription price for ESPN+ will be going from $6.99 per month to $9.99 as of August 23. The annual cost for ESPN+ would go from $69.99 to $99.99. The monthly bundle price will remain at $13.99.

 

ESPN+ has an impressive line-up for sports fans, including NHL hockey games and and PGA Tour Live. 

 

For good measure, Disney remains in the running for NFL Sunday Ticket, which allows viewers to have access to all out-of-market Sunday afternoon games. Sunday Ticket always has been on DirecTV, but that deal is due to expire at the end of the 2022 NFL season. The NFL has made clear that it wants a streaming partner, and Disney/ESPN, Apple and Amazon reportedly are in the mix. Also, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that a decision on NFL Ticket will come before the fall. Rumors swirl that Apple is in front to win, at least for now, as speculation has been quite fluid around this topic for some time now.

 

In addition, the NFL will soon be launching its own NFL+ streaming service.

 

The latest numbers show that ESPN+ has 22.3 million subscribers.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks here and the Kindle edition here

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.  

 

Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Disney Betting on Sports Betting?

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 31, 2021

 

Times change. Who would have ever thought that the Walt Disney Company would be flirting with the gambling business? Well, Disney owns ESPN, and the growing online sports-betting industry apparently is willing to bet big bucks on the ESPN brand.



The Wall Street Journal reported recently that Disney was seeking at least $3 billion to license the ESPN brand over several years. The Journal noted that DraftKings and Caesars Entertainment were in the mix.

 

The “ESPN” name could be used for branding purposes, including the possibility of a complete rename of a sportsbook. It was noted in the report, “A brand-licensing deal would allow ESPN to profit from the boom in sports gambling without taking bets and making payouts to winners, which requires licenses in individual states.”

 

Currently, 32 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting, according to the Journal.

 

As for sports leagues, being affiliated with sports betting is no longer taboo (apparently Pete Rose just had the wrong decade). The NFL, as noted in the report, will be allowing sports-betting commercials during its games this season for the first time. The NFL has “three official sports-betting partners, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel,” and has also “approved BetMGM, WynnBET, PointsBet and Fox Corp.’s Fox Bet for advertising.”

 

Major League Baseball has sports-betting partnerships with FanDuel, MGM Resorts International and DraftKings. The NBA has partnerships with Bally’s, FanDuel, DraftKings, MGM Resorts, The Stars Group and TheScore. And the NHL is in partnership with Bally’s, PointsBet, FanDuel, William Hill, and BetMGM.

 

Sports betting is here to stay (well, legally, as it’s been around for as long as sporting events have occurred), has gone mainstream, and looks to be rather profitable. Hey, the house – in this case the House of Mouse? – always wins. With ESPN, Disney is well positioned to profit from this trend. Indeed, I certainly wouldn’t bet against Disney (sorry, I had to do it).

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions at www.raykeatingonline.com

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Monday, August 16, 2021

Anyone Surprised That NBA Experience at Disney Springs Not Reopening?

 by Ray Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 16, 2021

 

My response to hearing the news today that the NBA Experience at Disney Springs will not be reopening was, quite frankly, a shrug of the shoulders, and a declaration that I wasn’t exactly surprised.

 

But then again, I’m not an NBA fan. Major League Baseball fan? Absolutely. Go Reds! The NFL? I shout “Skol!” as a Vikings fan. NHL? The Sharks are my team. But the NBA never really did it for me.



Apparently, though, the NBA Experience didn’t do it for NBA fans either. 

 

On the Disney NBA Experience website, the attraction was characterized: “Enter an immersive world where all of your basketball dreams are just a layup away. Inside this impressive venue inspired by modern-day NBA arenas, you can enjoy 13 unique experiences that merge the magic of Disney with the thrills of the NBA. Step through the Player Entry Tunnel—welcomed by the roar of an excited crowd—and embark on the full player journey, from training to competitions to championships and beyond.”

 

When it opened, MyNews13.com described the NBA Experience as follows: “On the ground level, visitors will find an exhibit featuring NBA and WNBA players, the Combine experience and the NBA Store. Upstairs there are even more activities, including a dunking experience, a slingshot experience and a basketball court where a game clock counts down your shots.”

 

Rather than being a slam dunk, the NBA Experience turned out to be an air ball.

 

Of course, the attraction opened at a bad time, in August 2019, with the pandemic just 8 months away. According to reports, Disney and the NBA agreed on the permanent closing.

 

But there’s obviously more at work here than just the pandemic. After all, this only opened two years ago, and if it had been working well beforehand and was expected to resume as a popular venue upon reopening, well, we wouldn’t be talking about the NBA Experience’s permanent closing right now.

 

The NBA Experience always struck me as an odd offering in Disney Springs – not quite fitting in. And there were questions about just how many big-time NBA fans this would attract on a regular basis. The answer is now clear: Not enough.

 

What will replace the NBA Experience? We don’t know yet. But let’s hope that it’s something with more widespread appeal. If we’re talking about another major league sports experience, then the only two leagues that could make a run at success in Disney Springs would be the National Football League and Major League Baseball, given their widespread popularity. The drop off in general interest from football and baseball to basketball, hockey or soccer, for example, is just too significant.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has three new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Again, get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story – grab it at Amazon.com or signed editions at www.raykeatingonline.com

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Disney Focused on Expanding ESPN/ESPN+ Line-Up

 by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 25, 2021

 

Disney’s push in expanding the live sports line-up on its ESPN+ streaming service, and ESPN and ABC cable/broadcast channels, has been impressive in recent months. And the company is in the conversation, as has been widely reported and we at DisneyBizJournal have been predicting, to grab NFL Sunday Ticket from DirecTV, where it’s been for 25-plus years.



Disney and Baseball

 

The most recent news regarding live sports came on May 13, with Disney announcing that its ESPN agreement with Major League Baseball would be extended, with a new deal covering 2022 through 2028. 

 

ESPN will televise 30 regular-season games annually, including 25 editions of Sunday Night Baseball, and five additional games, including the national Opening Night telecast. ESPN will continue to exclusively carry the Home Run Derby and will be able to simulcast all ESPN and ABC games on ESPN+.

 

In addition, if the MLB Wild Card Series is expanded, ESPN will exclusively televise all of it starting in 2022. However, if the current Wild Card format stays, then ESPN will exclusively televise one of the two MLB Wild Card Games and receive eight additional exclusive regular-season games each year. 

 

For good measure, ESPN+ not only will continue streaming a Major League Baseball game nearly every day of the season, but add new MLB content.

 

While this MLB deal is a reduction of regular season games on ESPN – from 90 games per season to 30 (or 38) – the relationship remains extensive between Disney and MLB. And as Chris Katje at Benzinga noted, “The new deal lowers ESPN’s annual fees from $700 million to $550 million while still keeping the best content.”

 

Disney and Football

 

This MLB agreement comes on top of the March 2021 deal with the NFL that runs through 2033. As DisneyBizJournal reported, Disney picked up two Super Bowls, and “ESPN keeps Monday Night Football, while adding six games each season, featuring three Monday night doubleheaders (with a game on ESPN followed by a game on ABC), a late-season Saturday doubleheader, and a Sunday morning game on ESPN+. Also, Monday Night Football will gain a ‘flex’ option starting in week 12 of the season to ensure better games. And ESPN will continue to air the NFL draft.”

 

Disney and Hockey

 

Also in March, Disney announced an extensive, seven-year deal with the NHL, running from the 2021-22 season through the 2027-28 season. As DisneyBizJournal noted, the deal includes the NHL.TV out-of-market subscription service moving exclusively to streaming as part of an ESPN+ subscription; the Stanley Cup finals on ABC in four of the seven years; half of the NHL playoff games on ABC and ESPN each year; and 25 NHL games exclusively on ESPN.

 

Disney and Golf

 

March also saw the announcement that ESPN+ would be the streaming home of PGA TOUR LIVE starting in 2022 and running through 2030. According to ESPN, that will cover “36 tournaments a year, including a full four days of coverage at 28 events with four simultaneous live feeds each day. PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ will also feature on-demand replays of PGA TOUR events, original golf programs, edited speed round recaps and more.”

 

Disney and Basketball

 

And finally, Disney is in the midst of a television deal with the NBA that it splits with TNT. That agreement expires after the 2024-25 season.

 

If Disney winds up arriving at a deal with the NFL for Sunday Ticket, ESPN+, along with ESPN, will become the clear live sports powerhouse. Expect already strong growth in ESPN+ subscriptions to accelerate.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

NHL and Disney Announce Major 7-Year Rights Deal

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

March 10, 2021

Updated March 11, 2021

 

The NHL and The Walt Disney Company announced today a major seven-year deal that brings NHL games to Disney and ESPN platforms.

 

The partnership starts with next season (2021-22) and runs through the 2027-28 season. The Athletic has reported, "ESPN will pay more than $400-million annually to the NHL."



The deal includes the NHL.TV out-of-market subscription service moving exclusively to streaming as part of an ESPN+ subscription. As noted in the NHL’s statement: “ESPN+ subscribers get truly incredible value with more than 1,000 out-of-market games now available digitally only on the industry-leading sports streaming service - making it a must-have for hockey fans.”

 

The deal also features the following:

 

• The NHL Stanley Cup Final on ABC in four of the seven years covered by the deal.

 

• 25 exclusive regular-season games each season on ESPN.

 

• 75 NHL regular-season games streamed exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu.

 

• Half of the Stanley Cup playoffs on ABC and ESPN each season.

 

• Coverage of NHL opening night games, the NHL All-Star Game and Skills Challenge, and special events each season.

 

This is a major coup for the NHL, with the deal leaving room for NBC to renew with the NHL as well, or CBS or FOX getting in on the hockey action.

 

It’s also a bold, but not unexpected move by Disney on the sports front. Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, said, “This is the kind of innovative deal that only The Walt Disney Company and our portfolio of media platforms and businesses can bring to life. The combination of streaming leadership with ESPN+ and Hulu, along with our powerhouse ABC and ESPN networks, will bring the NHL into the homes and lives of millions of passionate fans - and help create new ones.”

 

Disney also is expected to expand its role with the NFL as well, including being in the running, perhaps with Amazon, to grab the NFL Sunday Ticket package.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Disney and Former Mighty Ducks Fan Says Welcome Back to the NHL

by Chris Lucas
Guest Column
DisneyBizJournal.com
August 1, 2020

Welcome back NHL!

Though I’m not the biggest hockey fan in the world, I’m surrounded by lots of them, so I do appreciate the game. 

My older brother, Eddie, is a diehard New York Rangers fan - as are most of the kids he played street hockey with in Jersey City. My younger brothers, and a lot of my friends, are New Jersey Devils fans. There are a few Islanders fans scattered here and there, too.


As for me, I went with Disney. 

When the Mighty Ducks morphed from kids movie to a real franchise in 1993, I became a hockey fan, wearing all the Mighty Ducks gear. 

I was the only one wearing it, and boy, did I get mocked at Madison Square Garden and the Brendan Byrne Arena. That was the same time that the Rangers and Devils were winning Stanley Cups, so I picked a good time to follow the sport.

In 2003, the Mighty Ducks made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The game was being played just five miles from my house! I put on my gear and bluffed my way in, landing seats right behind the Ducks bench. I even got to hang out with Wild Wing, their mascot, only to watch them lose to the Devils.

Like almost everyone else in Jersey City, I did get a picture with Lord Stanley’s Cup, since the Devils brought it around to so many bars and events.

My boys have gone to a handful of hockey games, but they haven’t expressed an interest in a team or the game yet. Me? I stopped following the Ducks after Disney sold them in 2005 and they dropped the “Mighty” part. (Though they did win the Cup in 2007.)

Looking forward to seeing the pucks drop! 

__________


On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s recent discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!