[1] The complex is mainly used for AAU tournaments; however, many prominent professional sporting events have taken place here, including the 2020 NBA Bubble, MLS is Back Tournament, 2016 Invictus Games, Pro Bowl skills competition from 2017 to 2020, 1997 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, and Atlanta Braves spring training from 1997 to 2019 among other events.

The Tampa Bay Rays used the complex for 2023 spring training, due to Charlotte Sports Park having been heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian.

[5] Initial tenants were Braves & its rookie team, the Harlem Globetrotters, NFL Experience, the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, Amateur Athletic Union,[6] Official All Star Café and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society.

In June 1999, the complex made a deal with the Florida High School Activities Association to host the state prep volleyball championships at the Disney Fieldhouse for three years.

The two men, represented in part by noted attorney Johnnie Cochran, sued Disney in Orange County civil court.

In August 2000, a jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs with damages in the amount of $240 million, a fraction of the $1.5 billion sought.

[10] With Planet Hollywood just out of bankruptcy, Disney offered to purchase its All Star Café located here in February 2000 and acquired the lease in March 2000.

It received a massive upgrade, having installed HD video scoreboards at several venues, a new complex-wide audio system, and a broadcast production facility.

An October 16, 2014, groundbreaking took place for the first phase, consisting of two Marriott International brand hotels which opened in January 2016.

[20] While the Citrus Bowl was under repairs, the Orlando City Soccer Club played its 2014 home games at the complex.

Over 500 service members were in attendance, along with other notable public figures, including former United States President George W. Bush and Second Lady Jill Biden.

[26] Besides having open practices for fans, ESPN broadcasts the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown, a series of head-to-head competitions between the players.

[27] According to event organizers, over the last four years, the Pro Bowl and festivities surrounding it have generated an estimated $100-million economic impact for Central Florida.

[28] In May 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, there were reports that both Major League Soccer and the NBA were in talks with Disney to host the teams to have their respective seasons in the complex.

[32] Meanwhile, the 2019–20 NBA season was concluded at the AdventHealth Arena, HP Field House, and the Visa Athletic Center.

[38] In 2020, the Atlanta Braves officially moved their spring training site to CoolToday Park located in North Port, Florida after 21 years in the ESPN complex.

[39] The stadium has hosted two regular season Major League Baseball series in 2007 and 2008 featuring the Tampa Bay Rays as the home team.

[citation needed] Beginning in 2018, the arena hosts the Jr. NBA Global Championship, a tournament that features both boys' and girls' teams divided into national and international regions (and is thus similar in setup to the Little League World Series).

It also hosted the first-ever NBA play-in game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Memphis Grizzlies in 2020 bubble basketball.

[41] Disney created a third of its events while bidding for other tournaments or attracting long term partners such as the Amateur Athletic Union.