LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (October 17, 2024) – The nation’s top youth basketball players will continue to experience the magic of pursuing a championship at Walt Disney World Resort thanks to a new six-year agreement between Disney and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).
 
Under the deal, the AAU Memorial Day Classic in May and the AAU Boys Basketball World Championships in July will remain at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. The events will draw nearly 9,000 elite boys and girls basketball players to Central Florida each year from 2025-2030.
 
The AAU Boys Basketball World Championships represent the pinnacle of youth basketball competition with 24 Division 1 and Division 2 national title events for ages 7U/1^st grade through 19U/12^th grade. The Memorial Day Classic is the premier summer youth basketball event, open to boys teams ages 8U/2^nd grade – 17U/11^th grade and girls teams ages 6U/6^th grade – 19U/12^th grade.
 
"We are excited to continue hosting premier AAU events at the world-class ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex,” said Jo Mirza, AAU President.  “Since 1997, hundreds of thousands of athletes have played AAU at ESPN Wide World of Sports, making lasting memories along the way.   The AAU values our relationship with ESPN Wide World of Sports and looks forward to a new generation of athletes competing there."
 
These AAU tournaments provide rising basketball stars from all 50 states and various countries with the opportunity to compete at Disney's exceptional facilities at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Athletes will get to showcase their skills in front of college coaches, scouts, and fans. As a bonus, players have a chance to celebrate and connect with their teammates and families at The Most Magical Place On Earth.
 
“For nearly 30 years, youth athletes and their families have made incredible memories competing in AAU events at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. And we’re thrilled that with this agreement thousands more will have the same opportunity to celebrate their biggest sports moments here at Walt Disney World,” said ESPN Wide World of Sports Vice President Adam Ball.
 
Since its opening in 1997, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex has been the epicenter for AAU events, especially basketball tournaments. Thousands of elite youth athletes have competed in AAU track and field, volleyball, and basketball events at the sports complex. This includes both former and current professional basketball stars.
 
Like so many events at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, these AAU tournaments have the opportunity to be showcased through the sports complex’s broadcast center, providing national exposure that youth teams and players rarely get anywhere else. The high-tech facility creates content featuring events and athletes for global distribution on ESPN platforms and captures highlights for athletes and their families.
 
 
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About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is where sports dreams come true for athletes and fans of all ages. Located at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the complex is the home of a variety of events including Disney Soccer and Disney Spring Training and has accommodated 70 different sports featuring athletes from 70 different countries since opening in 1997. Designed to provide professional, amateur and youth athletes with experiences synonymous with the names Disney and ESPN, the 220-acre facility features multiple competition venues, including 16 baseball/softball fields; a 9,500-seat stadium; a state-of-the-art indoor arena and two versatile field houses for basketball , volleyball, eSports and other indoor sports; and 17 multi-purpose fields for outdoor sports including soccer, football and field hockey. The complex includes a professional production center that produces content for global distribution on the Disney family of networks. For more information, visit www.disneysportsnews.com for news releases, photos and videos.


ABOUT THE AAU
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer sports organizations in the country. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports programs. Founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in sports, the AAU philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever” is now shared by nearly 800,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across 45 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts. For more information, visit www.aausports.org.