This week I’d like to take the opportunity to share my own little conspiracy theory with you. My theory is about the rebirth of Mobile ESPN. I hear you laughing. Mobile ESPN flopped, right? Why would Disney try that failed experiment again? Well, I think Disney has plans for its late mobile sports venture that are much more sophisticated than its MVNO.

First, I’d ask you to take note of the fact that in the launch of Qualcomm’s new MediaFLO mobile TV service, ESPN isn’t on the channel menu. Neither is ABC, nor any other Disney property for that matter. Second, I’ll call attention to the obvious fact that there is no possible way ESPN can ignore the mobile opportunity. If there is any information that demands immediacy, it’s sports, and ESPN has a fan base that would rather miss the birth of their children than a critical game.

So why skip out on MediaFLO? After all, it’s an easy process--just ship your live satellite feed to Qualcomm’s dishes, and you’re off the ground. Well, I think ESPN hasn’t passed on MediaFLO—I think it has a contract in place. Rather, I think ESPN has passed on Verizon Wireless or any other carrier for that matter looking to put together a standard package of programming. ESPN is looking at the same premium-programming model that drives up cable bills across the country--but with mobile TV, ESPN has far more control of the customer relationship. Imagine this:

ESPN contracts with MediaFLO for a dedicated channel of its nationwide multicast network, but it forbids MediaFLO from offering that channel it carries as part of their basic programming package.

ESPN relaunches Mobile ESPN--this time not as an MVNO with specialty handsets, but as a downloadable Java or BREW application using the same UIEvolution-built client technology. Carriers sell the service just as they would any other subscription-based application. The ESPN TV feed would only be available on phones with the Mobile ESPN client, giving ESPN its own private services world to play in, complete with sports scores, news stories and streaming video updates linked to the TV viewer.

As HiWire and Modeo launch, ESPN signs similar deals and contracts with its carrier partners. Basically, ESPN gets what it wanted when it launched its MVNO, but it doesn’t face the headache of being a service provider.

The carriers would play ball because who doesn’t want to offer ESPN? And even with a slightly generous revenue-sharing stream, they stand to make loads of data revenues from an ESPN service, even if their brands are overshadowed by the network.

What do you think? Am I right or just delusional? Anyone from ESPN is welcome to confirm or deny…

Contact me at kfitchard@telephonyonline.com.