ESPN Mobile-Verizon: Deal Is Official; Mobile ESPN Exclusive; ESPN Mobile TV Part Of MediaFlo

Listening to Disney’s investor webcast and the deal with Verizon was announced officially by Salil Mehta, EVP, ESPN Enterprises. It’s actually two parts: 1) the exclusive, multi-year license of the innovative Mobile ESPN application to Verizon and the licensing of some content and 2) the creation of ESPN Mobile TV that will debut on V Cast TV as part of the Qualcomm MediaFlo service. Given the various rights issues and the fact that ESPN still makes most of its money from cable and satellite operators, the new network will not be a simulcast of an existing network. It will include some of the same content. As part of MediaFlo, ESPN Mobile TV will be carried wherever that service is in operation so is not exclusive to Verizon but should debut there first. We’ll have an interview with Mehta later so should have more details on this and ESPN’s overall mobile strategy.
— This may steal a little of the CBS Mobile thunder on MediaFlo; CBS is set to show some live sports through CSTV on its new 24/7 channel.

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