The Wide World of... Disney?

People continually worry about the fact that giant corporations are crowding out any hope of a successful small business. Some examples of this are Wal-Mart, McDonald's, and the Disney Corporation. Well, here's one more reason for those people to hate Disney even more.

ESPN, which is owned by Disney, hosts an annual weekend at Disney World that turns into a sports extravaganza. This huge event will be visited this year by a team that for many has symbolized the essence of athletic independence. The Harlem Globetrotters will affiliate their barnstorming game with the corporate giant of Disney. Some may see this as a simple business procedure that will mutually enhance both groups' exposure. Others however will see this as another victim of the age of capitalism and big business. Since the Globetrotters built their image through an almost circus style atmosphere, the affiliation will perhaps make some people believe that in order to be successful, the company must join the system.

However, I don't believe this is why the Globetrotters would join forces with Disney for this weekend. I tend to believe that the opportunity to broadcast the game to millions of people would be very hard to pass up. In fact, this almost seems like free advertising because they were invited to play; they did not buy their way in. All they need to do is get there and publicity is theirs. Any publicity is good publicity, so even if some may not like the idea of the Globetrotters affiliating with Disney, even if just for one weekend, this move will ultimately improve their business as well as help ESPN attract as many viewers as possible.