(06/08/2010) – Anaheim, California – According to a post by The Los Angeles Times, The Walt Disney Company is shutting down at least five of its seven ESPN Zones. ESPN, the sports network and media brand acquired by Disney as part of its 1990′s acquisition of the American Broadcast Company, offers interactive sports experiences, large viewing rooms, a restaurant and a bar in its branded club, the ESPN Zone.
According to the article:
It’s unclear what prompted Disney to close the establishments, although the bars may well be a casualty of the recession. A poll released in March by AlixPartners found that 30% of consumers planned to eat out less frequently, and spend less per meal than they did the year before.
In addition, some of the ESPN Zone restaurants were located in high-priced real estate areas, such as Times Square in New York.
“Since their inception, the Zones have served sports fans very well,” said an ESPN spokesman, who declined further comment. ”But from a pure business perspective, the economics have been challenging.”
Regardless of the majority of the chain closing, the article states that the Downtown Disney location in Anaheim, the entertainment district of The Disneyland Resort, will remain open. That location sits in the middle of other novelty dining experiences, including House of Blues and Rainforest Cafe. California’s other ESPN Zone location, in Downtown Los Angeles at L.A. Live, is a licensed establishment; its future remains unclear at this point.
-Report by Lucy Bonita-Napoleon