Disney World and The Case of the Stolen Sports Complex

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  • Опубликовано: 16 фев 2021
  • In the 1990s a small two-man team from Tampa alleged that The Walt Disney Company stole their idea, called Sports Island, and turned it into the ESPN Wide World of Sports. They'd let the theft go in return for the small sum of $1.4 billion.
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    Additional Sources
    Corzo, C. 2000. ‘Disney guilty of stealing sports idea’, The Miami Herald, 12 Aug. p1
    Vaughan, V. 1994. ‘Sports company sues Disney’, The Orlando Sentinel, 07 Nov. p20
    ALL PRO SPORTS CAMP, INC., etc., et al., Appellants, v. WALT DISNEY COMPANY, etc., et al., Appellees.No. 97-1012
    Colarossi, A & Johnson, R. 2002. ‘Disney settles All Pro Sports case’, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Sep. pC1
    Jackson, J. 2000. ‘Jurors say Disney stole sports idea’, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug, p1
    Verrier, R. 2000. ‘Disney’s big ideas’, The Orlando Sentinel, 06 Aug. pH1
    Verrier, R. 2000. ‘Lawyer says Eisner didn’t tell the truth’, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Jul. pB1
    Verrier, R. 2000. ‘Architect on sports complex: ‘It was my baby’’’, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jul. pB1
    Associated Press. 2000. ‘Disney didn’t copy plan, ex-chief says’, Florida Today, 21 Jul. p20

Комментарии • 135

  • @quiksilverz2451
    @quiksilverz2451 3 года назад +42

    The craziest part is Disney claimed the ESPN Sports Zone was taking a loss, therefore they didn't need to make a payout.

  • @vitani_uk
    @vitani_uk 3 года назад +256

    The lawyers won here, the lawyers always win

    • @A.F.Whitepigeon
      @A.F.Whitepigeon 3 года назад +7

      The house always wins.

    • @katherinealvarez9216
      @katherinealvarez9216 3 года назад

      I think Bleak House had this message too,

    • @AlphaNovemberHotel651
      @AlphaNovemberHotel651 3 года назад

      So very true!

    • @common_c3nts
      @common_c3nts 3 года назад

      What kind of lawyer charges $1 million a year for a case?? That makes no sense.
      Hiring a full time lawyer for an entire year is under $100K a year for their salary.

    • @austiniscoolduh
      @austiniscoolduh 3 года назад +2

      @@common_c3nts who would charge that? A good lawyer...

  • @nvoll84
    @nvoll84 3 года назад +5

    It was called Disney's Wide World of Sports from 1997 to 2010.

  • @Ken_Leivonen
    @Ken_Leivonen 3 года назад +42

    Interesting, this seam very familiar to the case of Universal vs. Disney over MGM Studios and the same CEO was at Disney for both of them.

    • @shawnmartin95358
      @shawnmartin95358 3 года назад

      Sure SEEMS that way, he seems shady

    • @328am
      @328am 3 года назад

      Pure coincidence 😆

  • @francesl4810
    @francesl4810 3 года назад +8

    Just discovered your channel. Offhand sent me! Love your take on Disney history! Two thumbs way up 🙂👍👍

  • @rko12586
    @rko12586 3 года назад +59

    This doesn’t surprise me about Disney. They are notorious for stuff like this. Partnering with the Big Red Boat to learn the workings of the cruise industry then launch their own cruise line. Partner with Netflix only to launch their own streaming service. It’s not fair but they are really good at it.

  • @Tayloringmagic
    @Tayloringmagic 3 года назад

    This is information that I didn’t know that I wanted to know. Thank you for that, Rob! Keep it up!

  • @rinkopr5561
    @rinkopr5561 3 года назад +7

    It’s a reason locally the term “working for the rat” references Disney

  • @shanestuddard2606
    @shanestuddard2606 3 года назад

    EXCELLENT as ALWAYS!!!

  • @PoseidonEntertainment
    @PoseidonEntertainment 3 года назад +5

    An interesting level of drama around something that seems so insignificant now. WWoS seems to take such a small role on Disney World property today, and while it likely looks to be a stolen idea, it's an interesting relic from the time of Disney dipping its toes into every market that it thought it could put a Disney spin on. I miss that level of creativity. The Iger/Chapek era will be remembered for acquisitions and a lack of creative drive.

  • @markw5805
    @markw5805 3 года назад

    To settle for less than 5% of your award is shameful. Bad negotiations.

  • @TracyA123
    @TracyA123 3 года назад

    Subscribed! Great video!

  • @ForrestClonts
    @ForrestClonts 3 года назад +20

    What if the real vacation kingdom is just the lawsuits we filed along the way?

  • @SaturnCanuck
    @SaturnCanuck 3 года назад

    Thanks Rob. Interesting, eye opening but not surprising

  • @brianolson6366
    @brianolson6366 3 года назад

    Great work, thanks

  • @fogratindustries6901
    @fogratindustries6901 3 года назад +8

    I would love to see some long videos of your outro in park ambience clips. That would be great to have in the background working at home.

  • @dindog22
    @dindog22 3 года назад +11

    The Mouse is entirely too powerful

  • @ducknorris233
    @ducknorris233 3 года назад

    Wilson, funny story. My dentist’s name is Spaulding.

  • @XYZdude00
    @XYZdude00 3 года назад +4

    Disney does this all the time to people who pitch ideas for shows and merchandise and such. They build it into a contract you have to sign before. Guess they thought that they could do it again

  • @adamyoung1695
    @adamyoung1695 3 года назад +1

    Oh man! The Pelham Herald! I lived in Pelham when this happened. Mr Russell certainly got a decent settlement in the end

    • @pw70
      @pw70 3 года назад

      Because... the community noticed he bought a mansion, a cruising yacht and new cars every two years????

    • @adamyoung1695
      @adamyoung1695 3 года назад +1

      @@pw70 surprisingly no. He already had a fairly nice house. We noticed he bought the neighbour's house and was "rolling hard" in a bright yellow Hummer H2 (that should show the age 🤣)

  • @cnat.travels
    @cnat.travels 3 года назад +10

    “Willful and malicious?”
    Oh, sorry - I thought you said, “Skillful and delicious.”

  • @alecs6492
    @alecs6492 3 года назад +1

    Yes it’s hard to actually get paid. Lots of people think if you win you get your money, not always the case.

  • @CinnamonGrrlErin1
    @CinnamonGrrlErin1 3 года назад +16

    Didn't something similar happen a couple years ago with that woman who owned the van that layer showed up in Onward? I have a lot of respect for the artists, Imagineers, and cast members, but their business practices really sour me on Disney as a whole.

    • @astoldby
      @astoldby 3 года назад +1

      Never heard of that story before.

  • @fakeme3968
    @fakeme3968 2 года назад

    I had a similar idea as all sports to build a sports complex back in late 90s to be built in the inland empire San Bernardino county California area.
    But I didn't know how to make it come to fruition.

  • @gotalive
    @gotalive 3 года назад

    Another great video! Thanks!!

  • @AbrasiveCarl
    @AbrasiveCarl 3 года назад +8

    Wait did this channel get renamed or something? Wasn't this Rob Plays?

    • @jsdsps01
      @jsdsps01 3 года назад +7

      Yeah he changed the name

    • @memethyst
      @memethyst 3 года назад +5

      he changed it last year because he doesn't play games on this channel anymore, i remember a long time ago this channel was called "rob plays that game" and he only played the disney world minecraft server

    • @AbrasiveCarl
      @AbrasiveCarl 3 года назад

      Thanks people :D

    • @ced1106
      @ced1106 3 года назад

      Gotcha. I thought "Rob Plays" meant Rob was having fun, as in "playing around". 🏰🏰🏰

  • @Meforutr
    @Meforutr 3 года назад

    Hey I think you should open a sports bar. I’ll be watching lol

  • @connorschultz380
    @connorschultz380 2 года назад

    This reminds me of the story of sonic riders, there was a pitch for sonic on a scate board, sega never got back got to them, sonic on a hover board a few yeard later

  • @ethansloan
    @ethansloan 3 года назад +51

    It suck that when rich people/corporations actually lose in court, they can just keep appealing until they ultimately win.

  • @bobcheapek4334
    @bobcheapek4334 3 года назад +52

    when you get a Disney+ ad before the vid starts
    *chef's kiss*

  • @SkipperBobsBreakDowns
    @SkipperBobsBreakDowns 3 года назад +5

    Its surreal to watch this as I'm working with the NBA G league at WWoS right now

    • @astoldby
      @astoldby 3 года назад

      Watch you back! Lol

  • @jnsmith111
    @jnsmith111 3 года назад

    Whoever did it must have had some really big muscles .

  • @citruschurch
    @citruschurch 3 года назад

    Do you have a video or list of the Disney books in your background in this video and others?

  • @JB-zm1ex
    @JB-zm1ex 3 года назад +3

    What a coincidence! I was the 4000th veiw, and the 400th like! Love the video Rob, keep it up!

  • @donackerman4529
    @donackerman4529 3 года назад +4

    The real question is how much is an idea like that worth. How much is the model worth?

  • @joshbbglover
    @joshbbglover 2 года назад

    I know this is a random question and probably doesn't have a chance in hell of being answered, but where did you get those shelves in the background?

  • @jackprather3471
    @jackprather3471 3 года назад +29

    The exact same number of fields and parking spaces seems pretty damning in and of itself. Disney has a history of protecting their turf by any means necessary.

  • @seanmulligan4123
    @seanmulligan4123 3 года назад +2

    Disney and the huge corporate world always do this. See the pitch someone did all the ground work for, pass on the deal, keep the others IP and then craft their own plan based off the others IP. In the end after the lawsuits they get off paying pennies of the real value.

  • @James-sm5vg
    @James-sm5vg 3 года назад +4

    ESPN world wide of sports charged me 10 dollars for a hot dog. Not to mention all the other over priced stuff I bought there. I think Disney definitely won.

  • @barbarastracick2185
    @barbarastracick2185 Год назад +1

    Nicholas Stracick was not from Ontario. He came from Angola, N.Y. Also the final settlement was more than 3 Million dollars. The reason I know this, is because I am his daughter.

  • @RobertMungo
    @RobertMungo 3 года назад +3

    I mean, obviously Disney was inspired by them, but at the same time a bunch of soccer fields, tennis courts and a baseball diamond sounds like the neighborhood park down the street.

  • @NicPrescott
    @NicPrescott 3 года назад

    When is Disney Minecraft Coming back?!?!

  • @freeflowconsciousness8243
    @freeflowconsciousness8243 3 года назад

    When threatened with a bullet or cash, most take the cash.

  • @Brandon-qd2lb
    @Brandon-qd2lb 3 года назад

    Still don't understand how that complex is profitable. Maybe in the summer time but it's not busy there year round...

    • @princevlad4195
      @princevlad4195 3 года назад +2

      Maybe not profitable. Sometimes showing a loss on one Disney company helps out the other Disney company come tax time. But just my thoughts

  • @Vasooki
    @Vasooki 3 года назад +2

    It's also the most profitable complex on their property - they hold the record for both most food and beverage sales in a single day, and most merchandise sales, or at least that's what I was told when I worked there

  • @breawycker
    @breawycker 3 года назад +2

    You'd think that after being found guilty, Disney would be forced to shut down the copyright infringing theme park?

    • @SpiritOfTheSeasons
      @SpiritOfTheSeasons 3 года назад +10

      No. They were sued for money, not the ownership of the park

    • @breawycker
      @breawycker 3 года назад +1

      @@SpiritOfTheSeasons oh that makes sense. Thank you

  • @michaeleisner4758
    @michaeleisner4758 3 года назад +42

    "even at the top, Disney CEO Michael Eisner"
    *happiness noise*

  • @Taydar
    @Taydar 3 года назад

    Nobody won really but you cant claim ownership of the idea of a sports complex.

  • @rapunzel1701
    @rapunzel1701 3 года назад +4

    Ayayay people, stop with the company hate. Sometimes things have to be resolved like this. Those plans were worth no where near $240m, but $10m, sure. Disney never needed the plans, they are perfectly capable of building a sports complex on their own. The problem is once they see the 'plans', they can either be extorted by the creator or just never ever build the complex. That's a lose/lose. So they go ahead and fight about the 'value' later. BTW, the parking spaces isn't some gotcha thing, probably dictated by state/municipal code.

  • @antoniobranch
    @antoniobranch 3 года назад +8

    "DID DISNEY THROW IN A COUPLE OF LIFE TIME PASSES AND TWO BOTTLES OF WINE WITH THAT RIPOFF.....AHHH...SETTLEMENT".

  • @AverytheCubanAmerican
    @AverytheCubanAmerican 3 года назад +42

    "Are you The Walt Disney Company?"
    "Yup"
    "And this is our project"
    "Yup"
    "We pitched this project to you and you loved it. And if that's the case, it's not yours"
    "Makes sense to me"
    "Then admit it"
    "It's our idea"

    • @LoveLearnShareGrow
      @LoveLearnShareGrow 3 года назад +3

      "You made this? ... I made this."

    • @James-sm5vg
      @James-sm5vg 3 года назад

      It was Disney’s property so I don’t see why they couldn’t do this. Sports island should have done a better job.

    • @imightbebiased9311
      @imightbebiased9311 3 года назад

      Disney has always been, and always will be, a bunch of greedy corporate shitheads.

  • @oneguyeatingfriez4481
    @oneguyeatingfriez4481 3 года назад +4

    Actually second but love the vids and you should get more views

  • @gabrielcarmine69
    @gabrielcarmine69 3 года назад +5

    Between this and radio disney it seems like the company has a habit of saying they want to work with people they just want to get close to.

    • @Tigerskunk
      @Tigerskunk 3 года назад

      And don't forget the Big Red Boat cruises. That later got replaced by Disney Cruise ships.

  • @placeholder8392
    @placeholder8392 3 года назад +12

    Sometimes being a Disney fan makes me feel guilty, like I’m supporting a company full of villains 😅

    • @CinnamonGrrlErin1
      @CinnamonGrrlErin1 3 года назад +7

      There's ways to get around it. I buy preowned dvds, and there's plenty of indie artists out there who make nice Disney themed merch.

  • @mr.fahrenheit7009
    @mr.fahrenheit7009 3 года назад +2

    Nice

  • @robertphillips6296
    @robertphillips6296 3 года назад +6

    I remember this and that the judge in the case told jurors not to consider the fact that the both Sports Complexes looked alike, because all of the sports complexes look alike. After Disney lost they issued orders to all of their employees not to take any unsolicited material from outside persons.
    This is not the first time something like this was to have happened. Approximately 9 months before coming out with Disney Dollars an employee in California pitched an idea for something just like that to Disney executives. He was told thank you but no thanks. He had saved all of his materials and had to sue. Several other employees had this happen to them especially if the submitted their ideas through Disney’s “I have an idea” program.

  • @astoldby
    @astoldby 3 года назад

    Disney done those guys dirty! LOL

  • @mr.rainbowlovescoffee
    @mr.rainbowlovescoffee 3 года назад +1

    I didn't know that people had a complex for sport interesting I had a complex for some of something else but I guess everybody has a complex for something

  • @viper2131
    @viper2131 3 года назад +8

    LOL "belongs to the public because its old" coming from the same company that took over old tales such as snow white and others.

  • @NumberOneChina
    @NumberOneChina 3 года назад +5

    If by justice you mean whoever has the deepest pockets then yes, justice is always served

  • @SeniorWhoopyIRL
    @SeniorWhoopyIRL 3 года назад +3

    Yoooo

  • @Djxander23
    @Djxander23 3 года назад +1

    Definitely seems like a “Facebook Story” I definitely think Disney realized they didn’t need these folks plans after seeing them and decided to go on their own.

  • @Wesrl
    @Wesrl 3 года назад +1

    Mouse always wins

  • @srayj
    @srayj 3 года назад +3

    As much as I love Disney, it definitely seems like they did some shady things during Eisner’s time as CEO, so this isn’t that hard to believe.

  • @andrewdiamond2697
    @andrewdiamond2697 3 года назад +1

    Well, I'd say that Disney won huge, and Disney is guilty as sin. I agree, based on 8 minutes and 48 seconds of video, that the jury got it right awarding $240 million to the sports island guys.

  • @d_dave7200
    @d_dave7200 3 года назад +2

    This kind of stuff happens all. the. time. in corporate America. They're always stealing the work of small businesses and individuals. I've heard this story dozens of times. Corporations need to be held to account for this kind of stuff.
    I wouldn't have settled, personally. Or at least, they would have had to pay me far more on principle, even if I donated most of it.

  • @antoniobranch
    @antoniobranch 3 года назад +1

    THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD LAWYERS WITH THEM WHEN THEY DEALT WITH DISNEY.

  • @elizabethdavis1696
    @elizabethdavis1696 3 года назад +3

    I think Disney should buy the Olympics and do the summer one in Orlando as a permant home using camping world stadium, city park stadium
    The amway center and their ESPN sports park as the location build an Olympic dreams resort for the athletes to stay in as the athletes village during the games

  • @DTMB35
    @DTMB35 3 года назад

    All Disney has to do to own the entire planet is let the legal team loose

  • @mikemoore5263
    @mikemoore5263 3 года назад

    More examples of Disney being the devil!

  • @alexwalter7052
    @alexwalter7052 3 года назад +1

    I have a friend who was involved with the designing of Sports Island! He’s still bitter about Disney stealing the idea.

    • @SRose-vp6ew
      @SRose-vp6ew 3 года назад

      People are going to wake up about Disney. They are too controling and have stolen from many. Not a good exsample for children. Disney parks are not even fun anymore. It's all about looking perfect but having no real heart. Dollywood in Tennessee is the new Disney. $104 for three days. & children under 9. Free to 3 and under.

  • @foxcub2yo108
    @foxcub2yo108 3 года назад +1

    Typical Disney. There’s a reason I won’t give them a single cent.

  • @kentslocum
    @kentslocum 2 года назад +1

    The more I learn about the Walt Disney Company, the less I like the Walt Disney Company. Guess it's a good thing they laid me off during the pandemic! Oh wait....

  • @verios44
    @verios44 3 года назад +3

    Watching many of these videos, Galaxy’s Edge, Animal Kingdom, Wide World of Sports, and many other examples. It would appear that Disney got into the practice of copying or simply taking other people’s ideas rather than being unique.
    Galaxy’s Edge is a reactionary move to Harry Potter land.
    Animal Kingdom is a reactionary move to Buchs Gardens.
    And the sports complex was taking somebody else’s idea.
    Makes you wonder.

    • @5roundsrapid263
      @5roundsrapid263 2 года назад

      Don’t forget their most obvious copy: Hollywood Studios!

  • @unemilifleur
    @unemilifleur 3 года назад +2

    Disney do not want anybody else to manage their parks. They want sponsors, but the parks are always theirs.

  • @chrisw443
    @chrisw443 3 года назад

    You sued disney for theft, a bit of a stretch but legitimate and walked away after what? sitting in a courtroom here and there for a decade, and walked away with MILLIONS. Yeah, thats a win lol

  • @AveryTalksAboutStuff
    @AveryTalksAboutStuff 3 года назад +5

    Well...it wouldn't be the first time Disney stole something
    *Looks from The Lion King to Kimba the Lion*

    • @toocartoony
      @toocartoony 3 года назад +2

      Nah. Here's a whole video on why that isn't true at all ruclips.net/video/G5B1mIfQuo4/видео.html

    • @jamie1602
      @jamie1602 3 года назад +1

      Every time I see this vomited up half truth I die a little inside as someone who really enjoys Tezuka's work. This means you've never watched any Kimba (Leo the Lion) at all or realized that The Lion King is actually HAMLET. Congratulations, you played yourself.

    • @AveryTalksAboutStuff
      @AveryTalksAboutStuff 3 года назад

      @@jamie1602 no, I know The Lion King was based off of Hamlet with animators referring to it as Hamlit with animals (Bamlit) and I love the lion king. It's just that the similarities, while probably coincidental, are a bit funny. I admittedly do not know too much about kimba so I'm no expert or anything so take my silly joke as you will. No offense meant to the fandom.

    • @AveryTalksAboutStuff
      @AveryTalksAboutStuff 3 года назад +1

      @@toocartoony ah, just watched this. Thanks for the info. I had no idea how messy this topic actually is. Yikes.

  • @RichManSCTV0
    @RichManSCTV0 3 года назад +1

    God I hate disney. Always stealing and scamming

  • @BChandl13
    @BChandl13 3 года назад

    They very clearly stole the idea, but some soccer fields isn't a $1/4Billion idea lmao

  • @BiosElement
    @BiosElement 2 года назад

    In other news, water is wet and Disney is evil as sin. It's honestly a real shame to see what Walt's vision has become.

  • @tepobori
    @tepobori 3 года назад

    Disney is so slimey.... jeez

  • @hellsfirefreedomtube6984
    @hellsfirefreedomtube6984 3 года назад

    Screw Corporate Disney

  • @shplangerz9886
    @shplangerz9886 3 года назад

    things like this make me hate disney. universal basically stole oswald the lucky rabbit from walt. Decades later the company he founded, adopts and relishes in the same unscrupulous business practices. its honestly fucking disgusting.

  • @janedoe3043
    @janedoe3043 3 года назад

    I hate Disney.

    • @tp2487
      @tp2487 3 года назад +1

      Don't watch a Disney centred RUclips channel then

    • @antoniobranch
      @antoniobranch 3 года назад

      That's a lot of meaning in three words.

    • @MattMcIrvin
      @MattMcIrvin 3 года назад

      @@tp2487 If some of the videos are about terrible things Disney did, it stands to reason it'd attract attention from people who hate Disney!

  • @mattybigcat
    @mattybigcat 3 года назад

    The cringe lol

  • @coachken6130
    @coachken6130 3 года назад +1

    It's really bold of Disney to steal someone else's idea and then defend it in court. "I don't remember" is not a defense when the other side has receipts. Disney won👎🏾

  • @ericwilliams8038
    @ericwilliams8038 3 года назад +1

    I really like your videos very much and have been a subscriber for a couple years but I have to be honest and say that, in my opinion, the addition of the stock video footage as filler detracts from the videos a bit. I know many might not agree with me or even notice but I just prefer the historical photos and video that really do pertain to your subject. Not really a huge deal but stock photos/video is just a thing with me. Again - I really like your content though.