FIFA and Sony Corp. are making sure most people around the globe will have ample opportunity to see the 2010 FIFA World Cup in 3D beginning June 11, with the 3D feed delivered to homes with 3D TVs, to movie theaters, in Sony retail stores, and later on a Blu-ray disc.
The entities announced some specific details of technology and distrbution partners today, and which 25 games and which five venues will be shown in 3D — the U.S. team gets one broadcast unless they make it into the playoffs.
The first confirmed partners for the 3D live broadcast are ESPN in the US and Sogecable in Spain.
Eight matches will be fed live to digital cinemas in about 26 countries by Swiss-based Aruna Media AG.
Each match at five of the ten World Cup stadiums — Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth — will feature seven pairs of Sony’s professional HDC cameras on rigs (model: HDC-1500), with the company’s proprietary multi-image processor (model: MPE-200) and 3D Outside Broadcast truck. The processor makes an end-to-end workflow possible in the production process and automatically adjusts the depth-of-field to ensure an optimal 3D viewing experience around the world.
The venues and matches:
1. June 11 16:00h RSA v MEX
2. June 12 16:00h ARG v NGA
3. June 13 20:30h GER v AUS
4. June 14 13:30h NED v DEN
5. June 15 20:30h BRA v PRK
6. June 16 16:00h ESP v SUI
7. June 17 13:30h ARG v KOR
8. June 18 16:00h SVN v USA
9. June 19 13:30h NED v JPN
10. June 20 20:30h BRA v CIV
11. June 21 20:30h ESP v HON
12. June 22 20:30h NGA v KOR
13. June 23 20:30h GHA v GER
14. June 24 16:00h SVK v ITA
15. June 25 16:00h POR v BRA
16. June 27 20:30h 1st B v 2nd A
17. June 28 16:00h 1st E v 2nd F
18. June 28 20:30h 1st G v 2nd H
19. July 2 20:30h Quarter finals
20. July 3 16:00h Quarter finals
21. July 3 20:30h Quarter finals
22. July 6 20:30h Semi finals
23. July 7 20:30h Semi finals
24. July 10 20:30h 3rd place match
25. July 11 20:30h Final
The general public will also be able to exclusively enjoy the 3D promotional trailers shown on Sony 3D BRAVIA TVs in around 4,000 Sony-affiliated retail stores worldwide, including 200 Sony flagship stores (total number of Sony-affiliated retail stores: 1,500 in North America, 1,300 in Europe, 500 in Japan, 200 in Asia, 200 in Latin America, and 30 in South Africa)
As previously reported, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will produce and distribute the official FIFA film in 3D on Blu-ray Disc this year.
— By Scott Hettrick