Ukungaphumeleli okulihlazo elenza i-ESPN iJuggernaut eyiSelfowuni

'Ifowuni yakho yeyona ngcinga iphambeneyo endakha ndayiva.' Oko, ngokwencwadi Aba bafana banalo lonke ukonwaba , yindlela uSteve Jobs azazise ngayo kuGeorge Bodenheimer, owayengu-Mongameli we-ESPN, kwintlanganiso yeBhodi yeDisney ka-2006.

Imisebenzi yayithetha ngeFowuni ye-ESPN, inkampani kunye ne-apos; yemizamo engalunganga yokuqalisa ngenkonzo yeselfowuni ejolise kwezemidlalo. Itekhnoloji yexesha elinomda weefowuni kwimisebenzi esisiseko kunye namava abuhlungu okukhangela kwiwebhu. I-ESPN ifuna ukuyitshintsha loo nto. Hayi ngokuzisa izikrini ezinkulu okanye i-imeyile kwintengiso, kodwa ngokwenza eyona nto i-ESPN: ukuzisa ezemidlalo ebantwini.

Usebenzisa imodeli yokuSebenza yeNethiwekhi eyiSelfowuni (MVNO), apho inkampani iqeshisa khona ngomthamo weselfowuni- kule meko, ukusuka kwi-Sprint-i-ESPN yakha ishishini liphela ekwenzeni inkonzo engenazingcingo ngokukodwa yamantongomane ezemidlalo, ngubani oza kuthenga ifowuni ekhethekileyo apho banokufumana khona uhlaziyo lwamanqaku, ukumilisela i-GameCast, ukukhangela umxholo weESPN.com, kunye nezinye izinto.

Kwilungelo lokuthwala ezemidlalo ezipokothweni, abathengi kuye kwafuneka benze ifolokhwe ngaphezulu kwe- $ 300 yefowuni ngokwayo, naphakathi kwe- $ 65 kunye ne- $ 225 ngenyanga ngomxholo.

'Ifowuni yayilicebo lobudenge,' utshilo uSihlalo we-ESPN uSteve Bornstein Aba bafana banalo lonke ukonwaba. 'Ndakuxelela oko kuGeorge [Bodenheimer] naku John [Skipper, owayengu CEO we ESPN]. Yayilubhejo olukhulu olwaluza kusilela. '

Wayenyanisile. Iselfowuni i-ESPN yayiyintlekele kwezorhwebo, mhlawumbi eyona ndawo inkulu kunye noluntu olwajamelana nayo. Ngoku ka IshishiniIveki , I-ESPN itshone i-150 yezigidi zeedola kwi-ESPN eyiSelfowuni, kubandakanya ne-30 yezigidi zeedola Intengiso yeSuper Bowl . Ngaphandle kotyalo mali, iprojekthi ifikelele kwiipesenti ezintandathu kuphela kwithagethi yokuthengisa. Endaweni yokuduma kakubi, uDeadspin ubuze ukufundwa kwakhe ukuba abathumele i-imeyile ukuba banayo le nkonzo. Bafumene impendulo enye . UDeadspin wayeza kuthi kamva Kleyima ukuba ukufundwa kwabo ngexesha leyure yasemva kwemini kwakukukhulu kunesiseko sabathengi esipheleleyo se-ESPN. I-ESPN yenqabile ukuphawula ngamanani entengiso.

Ekupheleni kuka-2006, ngaphantsi konyaka emva kokumiliselwa, i-ESPN yayicima le projekthi.

Ukunikwa konke oku, kulula ukukhomba kunye nokuhleka esi sikhubekiso sikhulu yiNkokeli yeHlabathi liphela. Icacile nje ukuba i-ESPN ngekhe yakuzama oku, akunjalo?

Abanye abantu ngaphakathi kwe-ESPN aboni & apos; abayiboni ngaloo ndlela, kwanasemva kokuba iprojekthi icinyiwe. 'Ndiyayithanda xa abantu befuna ukuthetha nam malunga nendlela ifowuni eyayisisiphene ngayo okanye impazamo okanye uphawu olumnyama kwirekhodi yam,' utshilo uBodenheimer Aba bafana banalo lonke ukonwaba. Andiyijongi njengeyinto enjalo. Yayilithuba elihle lokufunda kwinxalenye yeshishini leendaba kwezemidlalo eliya kuba likhulu. '

IBodenheimer inenqaku. Ngokwabantu endithe ndathetha nabo kwi-ESPN, bebesebenzisa itekhnoloji eyakhelwe i-Mobile ESPN kwasekuqaleni ukusungulwa kwayo. Nditsho nohlaziyo lwamva nje kwiqonga le-ESPN elikwi-Android, i-iOS, kunye nendawo yabo yedesktop bahlala kwisiseko esibekwe yinethiwekhi yeselfowuni.

Cinga uluhlu lweefowuni ze-ESPN kunye neeapos: uluhlu lwezaziso zohlaziyo lwamanqaku, yonke inkqubo yendalo kunye nesoftware yokugcina umhlaba wezemidlalo, inkqubo ethile yokukhangela iindaba kunye nohlaziyo, amanqaku okufunda, ukubukela amanqaku aphezulu evidiyo, kunye nokusasaza imidlalo ebukhoma; konke kwifowuni yakho. Kuvakala kuyinto embi ngendlela abantu abayisebenzisa ngayo ii-smartphones zabo namhlanje. Ayothusi into yokuba i-ESPN yeFowuni ayikhange ibambe, kodwa ayifanele isimangalise into yokuba i-ESPN yeSelfowuni inike inkampani isiqalo kwibala lezemidlalo elihambayo, intengiso ekhoyo ngoku. NgoJanuwari 2015, izigidi ezingama-72.5 zabasebenzisi abafikeleleke kwi-ESPN web kunye nomxholo weapp kwizixhobo eziphathwayo kuphela, irekhodi lodidi lwezemidlalo, ngokutsho kwesithethi se-ESPN.

'Ibiyimpumelelo entle kakhulu kwimveliso, utshilo u-Aaron LaBerge, i-ESPN kunye neGosa eliyiNtloko leTekhnoloji. 'Yenye yezona zinto zibalaseleyo esizenzileyo ngokoluvo lwam.'

Emuva ngo-2005, xa le projekthi yayisaphuhlisweni, kwafuneka ukuba isonjululwe yonke imiba yeziphelo. Kwabaqalayo, idatha kwakufuneka ivele kwenye indawo. Emva phaya-ngelixesha u-Facebook wayesengu-Facebook kwaye ujongeka ngathi le -ESPN ayizange ibe ne-data yokudibanisa / uyilo lwesoftware evumela iimveliso ezahlukeneyo ezijolise kubathengi ukuba zikhuphe kulwazi olufanayo. Imveliso nganye, nokuba yi-ESPN.com okanye i-Bottom Line kwiinethiwekhi, yayitsala kwimithombo yayo yedatha.

Ngophuhliso lwe-ESPN eyiSelfowuni, uLaBerge kunye neqela lakhe bakha isikhokelo esivumela iimveliso ezahlukeneyo ukuba zikhuphe kwimithombo yedatha efanayo, ezinye iinkampani ezazisenza ngelo xesha. Ayisiyonto yokwenza ukuba i-Mobile ESPN isebenze ngaphandle komthungo — xa inethiwekhi yeSprint kunye neapos izakusebenzisana- kodwa ikwadala izixhobo apho ingalo yedijithali ye-ESPN & apos inokuphola kwiminyaka ezayo. 'Kuvakala ukuba abahamba ngeenyawo namhlanje,' kukhumbula uLaBerge, 'kodwa ezo ntlobo zobunjineli, zijikeleze isoftware kunye nedatha, zazingekho ngelo xesha.'

Iqela le-ESPN kwafuneka lenze ividiyo elingana nepokotho. Khumbula ukuba zeziphi iiflip zesikrini phakathi kwe-aughts ezazifana: i-miniscule, ipikseli, ejolise ekubonakaliseni iimenyu ezisisiseko, isicatshulwa, kwaye mhlawumbi nefoto yegrainy okanye ezimbini. Ukuze ubonise imizobo eneenkcukacha kunye nevidiyo ze-ESPN ezifunekayo, iqela le-ESPN akufuneki lifumane kuphela izixhobo zekhompyutha ukuze zilungele, kodwa hlela kwaye ucofe ividiyo eyenzelwe umabonwakude ezantsi kwiscreen esincinci. Bakhe iseti epheleleyo yeenkqubo zokuvelisa ividiyo ukulungiselela nje kunye nokuhambisa iikhowudi zomgangatho weTV ukuze babonakale kwiselfowuni. Ngokufanelekileyo, i-ESPN yakha inkqubo yemizobo yesiko yabasebenzisi abahambahambayo.

Ke, kuye kwafuneka babone ukuba bazizisa njani ezi vidiyo zincinci kwiscreen sefowuni kunye neapos; Ukwenza njalo, i-ESPN ngokuyimfuneko yenze usetyenziso lwefowuni ngaphambi kokuba ii -apps ziyinto. ILaBerge isabonisa ikratshi xa ikhumbula usetyenziso kunye neapos; sesthetics. 'Ukuba ujonge iapps yethu ngexesha apho imeko yaseselfowuni yayifana nayo, yayimangalisa. Imifanekiso emihle, ephezulu, ukusetyenziswa kombala, ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso kuyo yonke indawo, ividiyo edibeneyo. Yonke into malunga nayo yayilungiselelwe. Ijongeke kakhulu njengenguqu encinci ebonisa ukuba ezinye zeapps zethu zibukeka njani namhlanje. '

Ayisiyiyo kuphela eyacinga njalo. I-Deadspin ihlala ibeka iliso kwi-ESPN yeSelfowuni, eza kuzonwabisa noMhleli wayo oyiNtloko, u-Will Leitch. Xa imveliso yasungulwa, yena ubhale , 'Izinto zokuqala kuqala, kwaye & i-apos's kunzima ukuyikhanyela into enikezelwa ngumnxeba ipholile. Ividiyo kunye nomdibaniso akufani nayo nayiphi na into oyibonileyo. '

Ke kutheni le nto i-ESPN yeselfowuni isilele? Inqaku eliphambili lokugcina engqondweni kukuba ifowuni kunye nokusilela kwezorhwebo okunene akunanto yakwenza nokusilela kobuchwephesha. Emva kwayo yonke loo nto, inkonzo yayiyeyona nto iphambili kumava eselfowuni, ngelo xesha eyayisaziwa ngakumbi kukukhathazeka kunonxibelelwano. 'Sivile ukuba singagxila ngokupheleleyo ekugxininiseni amava ezemidlalo kwaye oko kungakhokelela kwishishini eliyimpumelelo,' kukhumbula uLaBerge, eqonda ngasemva ukuba imarike ayisebenzi kwaye ayisebenzi ngaloo ndlela.

U-Leitch wabethelela entloko xa wayebhala kumsitho wemveliso, 'Umcimbi awukho kwinkonzo uqobo, enomdla; Ingxaki kukuba i-ESPN ifuna ukuba abathengi bayo bajike kwihlabathi liphela leselula ukuze badlale kunye. Ayisiyiyo kuphela ukuba kufuneka usebenzise inkonzo yabo (i-Sprint), kuya kufuneka usebenzise ifowuni yabo. Yonke le nto ixhomekeke kwimiqathango yabo. '

Kwaye iifowuni abazinikelayo bezingabalulekanga — ngokuchaseneyo ne-Motorola RAZR ethengiswa kakhulu. Iifowuni kuye kwafuneka ukuba zihlangane nezixhobo ezixineneyo kunye neemfuno zobomi bebhetri benkonzo. Ukungaqiniseki ngentengiso, i-ESPN ayikwazanga ukuzibophelela kwi-odolo enkulu enokuthi ixhase uyilo olwenziweyo ngononophelo. Ke basala nomsebenzi onzima wokuthengisa ifowuni engendawo.

U-LaBerge kunye nogxa wakhe, uJohn Kosner, usekela-Mongameli oLawulayo kwidijithali kunye nokuprinta kwi-ESPN, bobabini babona icala lezixhobo njengeyona nto iphambili kwimveliso kunye nokusilela kurhwebo. 'Ukusilela kwethu ukuqonda kweshishini lehardware ngokubanzi kwakucacile,' uKosner undixelele. 'Besingenabo nje ubuchwephesha bokwenza izigqibo ngokwemodeli, inani lezixhobo zoku-odola, apho bekusiwa khona, besingenaso isikali okanye amandla kwishishini.'

Kuphela kweenyanga ezimbalwa emva kokumiliselwa kunye nokuthengisa kufutshane ne-zero, iifowuni eziphathwayo zithengiswe ngexabiso, ziqhutywa kwisihlanu sexabiso lolohlu lwantlandlolo. Malunga nonyaka kamva-iinyanga ezintandathu emva kokuba i-ESPN Mobile ivale ngokulungileyo-indoda exelele uMongameli we-ESPN ukuba icebo lakhe yayiyeyona mbono iphosakeleyo angazange ayive, etyhila umnxeba ongathethi kangako: i-iPhone.

Njengoko imisebenzi iqapheleyo, abantu bafuna ukusebenzisa iifowuni ngaphezulu kwezemidlalo. Kwakungafanelekanga ukuba sikhuphe amakhulu eedola ngaphambili kunye nomrhumo onyukayo wenyanga nje ukuba ube ngowokuqala kubahlobo bakho ukwazi ukuba iiKhadinali zifumene amanqaku ezantsi kwe-8 ukuya ku-7-2. ILaBerge ishwankathele iprojekthi ye-ESPN eyiSelfowuni xa isithi, 'amava ethu onke egxile kwezemidlalo. Into esiyifumeneyo kukuba abantu bayakhathala nangezinye izinto. '

Konke kubonakala kucace gca emva. Kodwa ngezo ntsuku zangaphambi kwe-iPhone, ekuphela kwento abantu ababeyazi ngekamva leeselfowuni kukuba baya kuba ngcono kwaye babe yinto ebalulekileyo kubomi bethu bemihla ngemihla. Iselfowuni i-ESPN ibone ikamva apho iiselfowuni zibaluleke khona-azibonanga kwaphela ukuba ikamva liza kusebenza njani.

Nje ukuba inkqubo ye-ecosystem isungulwe kwi-iPhone, i-ESPN yayikwisikhundla esiphambili Ityala isoftware yayo, enkosi kwiinkqubo abazenzileyo zeSelfowuni ESPN. 'Besisebenzisa kwaye sandisa umsebenzi esiwenzileyo kwi-ESPN yeSelfowuni entle kakhulu kususela kumhla wokuvala kwethu, utshilo uLaBerge.

U-Kosner ukholelwa ukuba isigqibo sokubeka phambili ividiyo yile nto yenze ukuba i-ESPN yeSelfowuni ibe nohlaziyo; kwaye, ngokumangalisayo, ayiphumelelanga. Senze isigqibo endicinga ukuba, sasinombono kwaye ngaphambi kwexesha lethu, ukuba siza kuyibeka phambili ividiyo. Oko kuchaphazele iselfowuni esiyikhethileyo ekuqaleni kwaye ngelixa ividiyo eshukumayo iqhuma namhlanje, bekungekho & apos; kwiminyaka esithoba eyadlulayo. Siye sanomzimba wokuba senze iqela lezinto ezahlukeneyo ukuze sikwazi ukuba nevidiyo ngaphambili nangaphakathi. Yile nto uyilindeleyo kwi-ESPN kodwa hayi indlela abantu abazisebenzisa ngayo iiselfowuni ngo-2006. '

Ukunyaniseka, i-ESPN yayiya kuthi iphuhlise obu buchwephesha kamva ngaphandle kwexabiso lentengo. Kwaye kunokwenzeka ukuba izifundo ezifundwe kwi-ESPN eyiSelfowuni zazinokufunyanwa ngokulula ngakumbi kamva xa iteknoloji iphuculwe kwaye abathengi bekulungele.

Kodwa xa kuthathelwa ingqalelo ingeniso ye-ESPN ikumawaka ezigidi minyaka le, ilahleko yayingabhaliswanga. Yayingumngcipheko, omkhulu ngokwemigangatho emininzi, kodwa hayi nge-ESPN & apos; s, ngakumbi xa kuthelekiswa nokuqala kokufumana iinkampani zobuchwephesha ezisebenzisa njengendawo yokuma kuphando kunye nophuhliso. Kule mihla, uGoogle uya blink kabini kwaye alahle isigidi seedola kwinkampani esele iphumelele njengaye Indlwane okanye Waze .

Le isenokuba yeyona ndlela ilungileyo yokucinga ngeLifa le-ESPN kunye nelifa. Yayingumboniso wemodeli yakudala yeR & D, elinye lamaxesha okugqibela inkampani enkulu yathatha umngcipheko omkhulu kwimveliso entsha kwindawo yentengiso enabantu abaninzi ngokuphuhlisa itekhnoloji yayo.

Ukuthetha noLaBerge kunye noKosner, ndinoluvo lokuba i-ESPN eyiSelfowuni, ngaphandle kokuba yenye yeempazamo ezinkulu ze-ESPN, nayo yenye yezona zinto zimelwe kukuziphatha okuhle. Ekuphela kwento i-ESPN eyithiyileyo ngaphezu kokulahlekelwa yimali kukubethwa.

Nokuba uKosner wayethetha okanye hayi, wandinika olu luvo xa ndithetha ngefilosofi ye-ESPN. 'Ifilosofi yokusebenza kukaJohn Skipper kunye neapos; asisoze saphazanyiswa ngumntu okanye nantoni na. Kwaye kusaqhubeka unanamhla. Kukho ifilosofi enobundlongondlongo ngokubhekisele ekubeni ne-ESPN apho bakhoyo abalandeli. '

I-ESPN yabona iifowuni eziphathwayo ziba yinto ekuyo yonke indawo kubomi beli xesha kwaye yayazi ukuba kufuneka ibandakanyeke. Ezinye zeempendulo zalo zazilindele ukwenzeka kwikamva, kodwa zazikude kakhulu kunamaxesha. Ezinye iimpendulo bezingalunganga. Nokuba yeyiphi indlela, ayibalulekanga. Nge-ESPN, akunakufane kwenzeke ukuba ibaluleke.

'Ukuba uthi le fowuni yayingummeli wokuzimisela ngamanye amaxesha ukuthatha umngcipheko omkhulu okholelwa kuwo, utshilo uKosner,' ndicinga ukuba singaphinda siyenze loo nto. '