Pacific Creative » Mobile

ESPN Scores Big Again…Wins Mobile Right to Barclay’s Premiership in the UK

Patrick — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:30:57 +0000

ESPN once again has scored big for rights to Barclay’s Premership in the UK. After winning the broadcast rights to the Premiership last July in which they paid £90m to show 46 league matches across its networks in the United States, ESPN has now won the mobile rights to the Premiership in the UK market.

As part of the deal, ESPN will be allowed to deliver in-progress, post game and customized highlights to mobile users who sign up for the service. These new products and services will join ESPN’s growing mobile platform that includes mobile web sites for ESPN.co.uk, ESPNSoccernet, ESPNCricinfo, ESPNScrum and ESPNF1, as well as apps. The rights are the latest addition to ESPN’s multimedia portfolio, and will complement the company’s television and online properties in the UK.

This is just a latest effort by ESPN to showcase soccer with one of the most popular professional sports leagues in the world. Is ESPN moving towards showing full game matches on mobile devices? Will ESPN also bid for the mobile rights to the other top soccer leagues including La Liga? With the success of the iPhone and Google Droid it looks like the focus for ESPN is getting information and highlights to mobile users on the go.

The Haiti Crisis: Mobile Helping the Cause

Alec — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:28:54 +0000

Americans have used there mobile phones to now contribute thus far $9 million to the relief efforts in Haiti.

I think this is an amazing in the way that technology has allowed me to contribute to a crisis and immediately. It is interesting to note that in 2009 via mobile phones, there was a total of $4 million contributed. Leading the way is the American Red Cross where mobile users can text HAITI to 90999. In addition here are other text message codes to donate:

- Text the word “YELE” to 501501 to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti foundation.
- Text the word “HAITI” to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund.
- Text “HAITI” to 25383 to donate $5 to the International Rescue Committee.
- Text “HAITI” to 85944 to donate $10 to the International Medical Corps.

What kind of effect do you think mobile phone texting donations would have had on the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts?

Americans increase use of text messaging

Alec — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:48:47 +0000

This morning in the Los Angeles Times there is a great article on how text messaging in the United States is taking off and is even stating that Americans have gone text crazy. For examples in Dec 2007 Americans sent 48 billion text messages in that one month and in Dec 2008 that number increased almost three-fold with 110 billion text message being set that month.

It is interesting to note that from the article and as expected a majority of those sending text messages in the US are teens even though 61% of adults are now expected to be using text messaging. As noted in the article much of these text messages are private conversations, so it will be interesting to see how will mobile marketing companies continue to target this current and future market and what role will advertisers ultimately play? How will private text conversations among teens translate into monetization and increase revenues for companies involve in the text message/mobile business landscape. Furthermore, Google’s purchase of AdMob will only continue to harvest the interest in this industry.

How many text messages will be sent by Americans in Dec 2009? 250 Billion?