The play-by-play on ESPN’s Ultimate Remote

It’s either the perfect Father’s Day gift or the perfect excuse for initiating divorce proceedings: ESPN has announced the coming of its branded Ultimate Remote, a $299 universal remote control designed to give the sports fan quicker and easier access to games, stats and excuses not to engage in “honeydew” chores on weekends.

The ESPN press release doesn’t give a launch date, just that it will be available in time for the third Sunday in June and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com. But a list of cool-sounding features is there: Wi-Fi Internet access, text and email, quick setup that doesn’t require a nearby PC, the ability to let sports fans surf games on TV, surf team standings and info on the web, the ESPN logo at the top of the device, and the Sportscenter jingle (dah-dah-DAT, dah-dah-DAT) every time you press a button.

Okay, I made up that last feature. I’m not sure I want to give the ESPN marketing gurus any more ideas. As it stands, the Ultimate Remote has a better chance at success than the initial version of the ESPN-branded cell phone if only for the fact that sports fans have a much closer relationship with their TV’s and home theater systems than their phones on game days.

Read [ESPN Media Zone]