We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of a friend, a pioneer an innovator: Mobile ESPN.
First of all I want to thank all of those how showed up today, especially the true supporters of Mobile ESPN, those who actually signed up for the service and who showed your eco-friendliness by carpooling here together in the Miata.
Mobile ESPN; where do I start? Sure, you managed to grace our presence for only eight months before fading out before your time, but to me it was more like an extended summer vacation. You brought prestige and attention to the mobile virtual network operator market as well as dared to tempt sports fiends with your all-sports, all-the-time capabilities. And then just like that, you were gone. And we are left here to grieve, lament and wonder what went so wrong so quickly.
Some claimed that your aim was too narrow, that you could not connect with a demographic that might have already subscribed to cell-phone service and could access most of your content through simple WAP sites. Others said your handset offering was too limited, too basic, too boring. And still others said you were a bit too cocky, thinking your name alone would woo customers instead of trying to compete on price.
There were signs early on that perhaps you were not really prepared to enter the highly competitive market that is wireless service. A name change from ESPN Mobile to Mobile ESPN left many scratching their heads. But hey, you were still committed to the MVNO space, and that was all that mattered. Of course your launch plans also left some confused; soft launch of service in a handful of markets in December 2005, followed by the blow-out launch during the Super Bowl in February of 2006. But the MVNO market was supposed to be all about non-traditional approaches—and early on, you had that quality in spades as your commercials showed.
While things might have been slow at first, you persevered, adding a new handset, which doubled your offerings to two. You made subtle changes to your rate plans, making them more confusing, but that’s what wireless consumers are used to, and you obliged.
But, in the end, it was too little too late. No one ever really understood you, or understood your potential. The big wigs did what they always do—they got scared when the numbers didn’t add up and pulled the plug.
Sure, you will live on through your licensing agreements, but to me that will be a hollow shell of your former self. Instead, I will remember you for what you were, if only for a brief period of time.
