1. N.B.A. AND DISNEY LAUNCH NEW INTERACTIVE VENUE: The N.B.A. and Disney have opened the N.B.A. Experience at Walt Disney World in Orlando, as part of a longstanding partnership between the brands. Located at Disney Springs, the 44,000-square-foot venue has 13 basketball-theme exhibits. Advertising Age: “One activity replicates the NBA Draft Combine, giving fans the chance to compare their wingspan or vertical leap to N.B.A. and W.N.B.A. players. Other exhibits allow fans to test their ball-handling skills or dunk on height-adjustable baskets. … Disney and the NBA declined to reveal financial terms on the partnership. But the venue shows how Disney, with its vast theme park and media empire, is able to offer unique assets to sports properties that other media companies are unable to bring to the table.”
2. MISSY ELLIOTT TO RECEIVE VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD AT V.M.A.S: Rapper, songwriter, and producer Missy Elliott will receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. Elliott will perform at the ceremony for the first time in 16 years. The event airs live on August 26 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Variety: “‘Missy’s impact on the music landscape is indelible,’ said Bruce Gillmer, MTV International co-brand head and Viacom music and music talent head. ‘Her creative vision across production, performance, and songwriting is unmatched.’ … In spite of recent reports that MTV was considering changing the name of the award in the wake of backlash from recent documentary Leaving Neverland, the network has not done so.”
3. CREATORS OF ‘AREA 51’ EVENT TO LAUNCH ALIEN-THEME FESTIVAL: The creators of a viral Facebook event that jokingly invited attendees to storm Area 51 are now launching a real music festival themed around aliens. Called Alienstock, the event will take place in Rachel, Nevada, near Nellis Air Force Range and Area 51. The town of Rachel, however, says they weren’t asked by organizers. USA Today: “Brock Daily, one of the organizers of the event, told USA Today in a message that the purpose of the event was to ‘embrace the cultural statement made by the viral event.’ … While the event claims the town of Rachel is ‘on board’ with the event, the town website clarifies that residents were not asked. ‘A dubious group, known for chaotic events like Burning Man and the Las Vegas Electric Music Festival has taken over this event,’ the website reads. ‘The residents were not asked and are not on board and will certainly not allow their town to be taken over by a bunch of drunken kids. This has a high potential of getting ugly.’”