YES Network, FSN Northwest and DirecTV have confirmed what we reported here at 3DHollywood.net on March 26th that the Yankees/Mariners series on the weekend before the All-Star game will be televised in 3D via DirecTV with Panasonic as presenting sponsor.
That will make those games the first-ever Major League Baseball telecasts in 3D from Seattle’s Safeco Field Saturday, July 10, and Sunday, July 11.
Only DirecTV HD customers who have 3D TV sets, 3D glasses, and live within the YES and FSN Northwest “home team footprints” will be able to receive the broadcasts. Those footprints cover the entire states of New York and Connecticut, north and central New Jersey, and northeast Pennsylvania, as well as the entire states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska and parts of Montana and Idaho.
DirecTV will be providing HD customers with a free software upgrade next month that will allow them to be able to receive the 3D signal. The MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim on July 13 will be broadcast by Fox Sports and delivered by DirecTV nationwide.
The Saturday, July 10 game telecast will begin at 10 p.m. ET, and the Sunday, July 11 game telecast will begin at 4 p.m. p.m. ET.
YES and FSN Northwest will both also produce their traditional HD telecasts of both games.
“Our latest collaboration with DIRECTV reflects our commitment to explore new technologies which further immerse viewers in our telecasts,” said Ray Hopkins, COO, YES Network.
“We’re proud to team up with YES to produce a unique, depth-defying look at the sport of baseball in 3D that will put the viewer right in the middle of the action,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of Entertainment for DirecTV. “Like interactive TV and HD, 3D has the potential to completely transform the way we watch sports.”
The DirecTV free software upgrade next month will allow HD subscribers to see the new 3D channels that include N3D powered by Panasonic, ESPN 3D, a 3D DirecTV Cinema channel and a 3D DirecTV on-demand channel.
— By Scott Hettrick