ESPN continues to make sure no one can see its broadband website
ESPN is relaunching ESPN360, its sports-video broadband website, but it still hasn't figured out that new media require new business models. The Disney-owned channel has tried to use the same moneymaking scheme that worked so well on cable companies: Instead of charging consumers, charge the distributor. But few Internet service providers bit, limiting the site's reach to fewer than 16 million homes, and failures during the 2006 FIFA World Cup soccer games turned off the few viewers who actually logged on.The Wall Street Journal predicts that ESPN is poised to announce plans to relaunch the channel next month. But instead of addressing the basic problem of access, ESPN is refocusing 360 on live, second-tier events like polo, rugby and lacrosse. Way to make it even more niche.