Mobile ESPN (see below), an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) using Sprint's cellular network, will transmit -- in real time -- college football games to subscribers, according to an article in TechWeb.
Subscribers to the $24.99 per month Total Sports Package will be able to watch some 25 games per month, for a total of about 100 per season. (The package also includes such features as SMS, text and audio alerts, audio and video clips and selected Web sites.)
Rebecca Gertsmark, a spokesperson for Mobile ESPN, says in the article, "When we negotiate the rights to broadcast the games,
it's no longer just about normal television. We're putting an increased focus on wireless, broadband and mobile technology."
Will people watch?
It's no secret that many MVNOs in the United States -- including ESPN -- are doing much less business than they had hoped. In fact, two analysts at Merrill Lynch said in July that Disney should close Mobile ESPN.
Personally, I think's it's much too early for that sort of action. It takes time to build subscribers, and Disney and ESPN know (or should know) that.
However, it's a very fair question to ask whether a sufficiently large number of subscribers will want to watch live games -- college football or otherwise -- on small cellular screens. After all, if you're a sports fanatic -- or simply make a point of watching games -- don't you try to be near a television set (preferably a big screen) for games?
On the go
But are sports enthusiasts always able to sit in front of their TVs? What if they're traveling? What if Mobile ESPN is able to offer special features?
TechWeb quotes one sports enthusiast, Matthew Napoli, who says, "I'd watch an entire game on a cellular phone if I
had to take a long bus or car ride. I'm more likely to text
message a friend for the latest scores or log online from my cell phone."
Napoli had better hope he remains in Sprint's 1xEV-DO coverage area if he takes a long ride! I've watched lots of mobile TV on Sprint and other cellular networks, and coverage certainly isn't assured when you're riding in a car or bus.
Coverage issues notwithstanding, I've written many times that the future of mobile TV includes live and archived programs -- long and short.
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