ESPN Mobile Closeout! Everything Must Go!

You knew it was coming eventually, though, to be fair, we thought it might take a little longer: ESPN Mobile has lowered the price of its Sanyo handset to $99. Originally, it was almost $500.

You might not want to start whipping out your wallets just yet; entry level cost, with switching and plans and so on, is pushing about $500.

The price slowly kept sliding until hitting $99 for the start of the MLB season. The $99 handset is being marketed now. Also, new handsets are upcoming with at least one expected this summer; I heard as early as June. No pricing details yet. The entry level cost now for someone who wants the phone more for the ESPN features than talk time: just over $500. As the customer's cost decreases, the MVNO's subsidy costs increase but new subscribers lock in income. On the lower plans, it could be a wash for the year; higher plans should bring faster returns. That basic $34.95 plan is meant as an alternative for people already locked into contracts with other carriers.

At this rate, potential customers are advised to just wait another six months, when the phones will be peddled for either $25 or some old Cosby sweaters at your local swap meet. When that happens, expect Mike Greenberg to be nearby, hawking the glories of checking "Bonds On Bonds" highlights on your Sanyo handset, clandestinely, so that your wife — who thinks you're an idiot — does not notice.

Mobile ESPN Resets Sanyo Handset Price To $99 [Paid Content]