ESPN will televise up to all 25 of Sony’s previously-announced 3D broadcasts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer beginning with the first match June 11 between South Africa and Mexico, the network announced this morning.
The broadcast will launch a one-year trial of the first 24-hour 3D sports network, which will be formally announced during Sony’s media presentation Wednesday afternoon at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Among the minimum 85 live sporting events set for ESPN 3D the first 12 months will be the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Ariz., January 10, 2011.
Last year’s BCS game was televised in 3D to selected movie theaters.
Other 3D events will include the Summer X Games — which was filmed in 3D last year and released as a 3D documentary in theaters — and other college football and basketball. Several NBA All-star games have been presented in 3D in theaters in recent years.
ESPN has been testing ESPN 3D for more than two years. Last September ESPN produced the USC vs. OSU college football game in 3D which was shown in select theaters in Ohio, Texas and Connecticut as well as to 6,000 fans at the Galen Center on USC’s campus.
The big difference here is TV versus movie theaters. This week Sony, Panasonic, and most TV manufacturers will be introducing new 3D TVs at CES to go on sale in the coming months, requiring the user to wear glasses as do customers in movie theaters for films such as “Avatar.
In the announcement, ESPN says it has developed best practices for utilizing the technology in live game applications which have provided ESPN the ability to streamline workflow operations, adjust 3D camera positioning, test transmission and gauge fan reaction to a 3D telecast versus a traditional telecast.
“This will be a meaningful step to drive adoption of 3D television sets and afford opportunities for our affiliates to create value through new product offerings, and our advertisers, who want fresh sponsorship opportunities,” said Sean Bratches, executive vice president, sales and marketing.
”ESPN’s commitment to 3D is a win for fans and our business partners,” said George Bodenheimer, Co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, and President, ESPN and ABC Sports.
— By Scott Hettrick