The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Mobile ESPN, a start-up cellphone company backed by Walt Disney Co., will announce as soon as today that it is closing down operations.
Launched at this year's Super Bowl, the company developed cellphones that feature a variety of sports-centric content and features. According to the WSJ, however, it has struggled to build a customer base in a fiercely competitive cellular industry.
Mobile ESPN operates through an agreement with Sprint Nextel Corp., paying for wholesale access to the carrier's network and then reselling service to its own subscribers. THe WSJ says that the company is now expected to shift its strategy significantly, getting out of the phone business to focus on its content.
For more information, check out the WSJ.com article Mobile ESPN Is to End Venture, Seek New Strategy.
