Disney Sports To Extend Contract With MAAC Through 2014
MAAC Sports
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Jan. 4, 2010)—Disney Sports announced four-year contract extension with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to host several conference championship events through 2014.
As part of the renewed agreement, Disney Sports will host the following MAAC fall championships at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex: the 2011 Men's Soccer Championships, the 2012 MAAC Cross Country Championships, the 2013 Women's Soccer Championships and the 2014 Volleyball Championships.
MAAC has hosted conference championships at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex since 1998. Women’s volleyball was the first championship held at the facility in November 1998. The MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship followed in November 1999, while Men’s and Women’s Golf began in April 2000. In October, the MAAC staged the Women's Soccer Championships at Disney where top-seeded Loyola University won the championship with a 3-2 victory over Niagara.
“The extension of the championship hosting agreement between Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex and the MAAC is great and was a major element of the league’s 5-year strategic plan that was approved by the MAAC Council of Presidents in December, 2008,” said Rich Ensor, MAAC Commissioner. “The plan noted that placing championships at Disney allows the MAAC to provide a 10-team championship experience for the selected fall sports once in a 4-year graduation cycle. The championships are hosted in world-class athletic facilities and allow the student-athletes the sports experience of a lifetime. It also provides an opportunity to our fans, especially the families of the student-athletes, to plan on attending the championship well in advance of the event.”
In addition to the fall championship contract extension, two other MAAC events will return to the sports complex. After last being played in November 2006, the MAAC Volleyball Championships will return to Disney in 2010. Also, in 2011, the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championship swing into action at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course through 2012 and Disney’s Palm Golf Course for the 2013 and 2014 championships.
With the contract extension the MAAC athletes will be among the first to compete at the Disney sports complex after the complex is reimagined with the ESPN brand in February. The complex will feature more than 40 high-definition and robotic video cameras, another 10 handheld cameras, 40 high-definition video screens, including two Jumbotrons, all designed to take amateur sports to the next level.
“By continuing to have MAAC events a strong collegiate sports presence helps maintain and further underscores the wide diversity of sports at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex,” said Disney Sports Area Manager Fred Schoeler. “With the ESPN reimaging of our sports complex these MAAC athletes will have a unique sports experience that they couldn’t get anywhere else except at Disney.”
About Disney’s Wide World of Sports ComplexOpened in 1997 at Walt Disney World Resort, Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the United States, hosting more than 250 events each year, and accommodating 60 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. The sprawling 220-acre state-of-the-art complex features the Milk House, a 165,000-square-foot field house which seats 5,500 for basketball; the 9,500-seat Champion Stadium ballpark; the Hess Sports Fields, which include multiple baseball, softball and soccer fields; and the Jostens Center, an 80,000 square foot multi-sport field house. In addition, the complex has 11 tennis courts, including a stadium court, and a track and field complex. The complex is home to the Major League Baseball Atlanta Braves spring training, the Pop Warner Super Bowl, Chelsea Football Club events, the Special Olympics Florida Summer Games and AAU National Championship events, among others. Please visit www.disneysports.com for more information.
About The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference With 10 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference enters its 29th year of competition during the 2008-2009 academic year. Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Loyola University (Md.), Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s College, and Siena College. The MAAC is headquartered in Edison, NJ.