10 Facts About Mobile ESPN

Mobile ESPN was a mobile virtual network operator run by The Walt Disney Company using Sprint's EVDO wireless network from November 25,2005, until December 2006.

Mobile ESPN's key feature was a sports application that could access news, highlights, and scores.

On September 2,2006, Mobile ESPN streamed the first live sporting event broadcast on a mobile device in the United States.

Mobile ESPN had only one phone available at launch, the Sanyo MVP, that retailed for as much as US$399.

In summer 2006, Mobile ESPN rolled out the Samsung ACE, which resembled Motorola's RAZR phones and would ultimately replace the MVP.

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Mobile ESPN bought its first Super Bowl ad for Super Bowl XL on February 5,2006, a 60-second high-definition commercial called "Mobile ESPN Sports Heaven" that featured a fan walking through a city filled with sports stars.

At first, ESPN Mobile phones were only available at retailers such as Best Buy.

Merrill Lynch analysts considered Mobile ESPN to have "failed" and recommended that investors urge ESPN owner Disney to discontinue the service.

Mobile ESPN initially reaffirmed its commitment to the product, stating that they expected that price cuts in handsets, increased marketing efforts, and other incentives for customers would prove to be successful.

However, on September 28,2006, Mobile ESPN announced it would be discontinuing the service to take effect by the end of the year.