Disney Cruise Line Expanding The Play Project to Improve Youth Sports Facilities in the Bahamas

Disney Cruise Line is expanding The Play Project, their initiative to expand youth sports facilities in The Bahamas, with ESPN among their collaborators.

What's Happening:

• Disney Cruise Line is giving a major expansion to The Play Project, their community-led initiative in The Bahamas, with a focus on delivering upgraded facilities for youth sports.
• More islands will be focused on in the expansion, partnered with new collaborators, including ESPN.
• These upgrades will include refurbishing baseball fields, basketball courts, and track and field grounds in Eleuthera, Nassau, and Abaco
• The Play Project launched in 2024 when Disney Cruise Line opened Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, via a partnership between Disney and global nonprofit love.fútbol, along with local residents, focused on designing essential play spaces for youth.
• The initial focus was on South and Central Eleuthera where primary schools received revitalized play spaces.
• More than 230 Disney VoluntEARS who worked alongside Bahamian officials, teachers, and students on The Play Project in 2025.
• Disney Cruise Line is partnering with ESPN's Take Back Sports initiative for The Play Project.
• In The Bahamas, this initiative aims to reduce barriers to youth sports, providing resources to athletes, parents, and coaches alike.
• In Nassau, Disney Cruise Line is collaborating with the Buddy Hield Foundation for what is described as a total revitalization of the sports spaces at Woodcock Primary School.
• This will culminate a community basketball tournament hosted by Bahamian NBA star Buddy Hield to celebrate the opening of the new facilities.

What They're Saying:

• Joey Gaskins, regional public affairs director for Disney Cruise Line: “Through The Play Project, our teams are working with community leaders in Eleuthera, Nassau and Abaco to provide youth with safe places to play, learn and connect. This next phase builds on the magic and momentum of our first year by expanding to more communities while introducing new sports and strengthening bonds between Disney and our port communities.” 
• Kevin Martinez, vice president of ESPN corporate citizenship: “The Walt Disney Company and ESPN are working to make youth sports more accessible. We’re thrilled to support young athletes with resources so kids can take advantage of the many life skills that sports have to offer.”
• Hon. Clay Sweeting, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs and Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera: “Disney Cruise Line continues to show its commitment to communities in Central and South Eleuthera with the expansion of the Play Project initiative. Programs and corporate engagement like this are an important part of the incredible economic development Eleuthera is now experiencing.”