Photo/ESPN  The ESPN sports complex hosts more than 60 different sports and 300 events annually, including this martial arts competition held at The Fieldhouse, a 5,500 seat venue for indoor sports.

By Peter Covino
Entertainment Editor

If athletes across the United States did not know about Disney's sports complex in Osceola County before — they certainly do now.

The complex, which includes Champion Stadium (spring training home of the Atlanta Braves), a tennis complex, track and field complex, production center, sports fields and softball complex got a name change and a whole lot more last weekend as the massive sports center became ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World.

Hundreds of media and sports celebrities converged at ESPN Wide World of Sports for a re-launch ceremony of the 220-acre international sports complex. The complex, along with the All-Star Sports Resort, are the only Disney “attractions” in Osceola County.

“Today is the culmination of several years of work,” George Bodenheimer, co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of ESPN, said at the official reopening.

Disney and ESPN officials said the complex, which opened in 1997 and which hosts 250,000 young athletes annually for training and competition in almost every sport, is in a major evolution process.

With the newly-opened ESPN Innovation Lab and ESPN 360, athletes who come to ESPN Wide World of Sports will be getting a one-of-a-kind experience in sports, he said. And while they train and play in Osceola County, the Walt Disney World theme parks and attractions also are nearby.

Amateur athletes at the Disney complex will be getting a taste of what it is like to be in the “big time” of sports, Bodenheimer said.

The complex features 56 high-definition cameras (42 robotic, 10 handheld and four studio) and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, that can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The cameras and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art production center that features eight edit bays and links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles.

What that means to the participants – athletes, coaches and fans – is not only can they see the live action and game highlights throughout the complex, but some of the footage may find its way onto one of the ESPN networks or ESPN.com, Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises, said.

The technology at ESPN Wide World of Sports includes:

ESPN360.com: Fans who cannot attend sports events at the complex can still see many of their favorite professional and youth players and teams compete on ESPN360, the network's broadband channel that allows online viewers to see up to 20 different sports events.

In-Room TV: Athletes, coaches and fans staying at any Walt Disney World resort hotel can view many ESPN-style highlights, scores and interviews from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

ESPN Innovation Lab: The new lab is being used for research and technology to test a variety of cutting-edge on-air telecast applications by using the 300 sports events held at the complex year-round.  Many of the new technologies developed by the ESPN Emerging Technology group, based at the lab, have already been used on air, such as the EA Virtual Playbook application that ESPN used in its NFL and NBA coverage.

The renaming of the Wide World of Sports to the famous ESPN Sports brand should also prove to be beneficial to Osceola County, Potrock said.

“With all of our diverse projects and our plans for dynamic growth,” it should reap benefits for the county, including more guests in area motels and hotels, restaurants and retail shops, he said.

Osceola County officials also are optimistic the ESPN name as well as the innovative changes at the complex could bring more dollars and more recognition for Osceola County.

“This is fantastic news,” Osceola County Commission Chairman Fred Hawkins Jr. said. “Being able to marry our assets as the amateur sports capitol with the resources of ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, is a win for our community and the hundreds of thousands of youth and amateur athletes that come here every year to compete.”

County Commissioner Mike Harford, whose district includes the Disney sports complex, also said the changes will be a plus for the county.

“We maintain a strong relationship with Disney and are pleased that this initiative will increase awareness of the high tech innovation happening in Osceola County,” he said.

Other new features at ESPN Wide of Sports include the redesigned and renamed ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill, a sports-themed restaurant with high definition TV screens, live radio remote capabilities and ESPN Sports Center desk; and The PlayStation Pavilion, a center with 17 PlayStation 3 systems featuring the latest sports-themed games and other titles.

The complex is open daily. For more information about daily sporting events including Atlanta Braves spring training, go to http://espnwwos.disney.go.com.