ESPN Going 3-D In 2010

Sports News - January 5th, 2010 - Written By John

The move was inevitable, and ESPN looks like it will be the first news outlet to comprehensively turn to 3-D technology in 2010. The 24-hour sports network announced today on it's website that it will finally unveil a three-dimensional broadcasting network, ESPN 3D, later in the year, which will broadcast at least 85 live sporting events beginning in mid-June.

The first event will be the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match between South Africa and Mexico. Soccer Betting Lines currently have Mexico slightly favored in the match, with BetUS offering a +150 payout to South Africa's +175.

After that, other events including the 2011 BCS National Championship will be shown in 3-D, as well as 25 World Cup matches and a variety of college basketball and football games.

"ESPN's commitment to 3-D is a win for fans and our business partners," ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer said in a statement. "ESPN 3D marries great content with new technology to enhance the fan's viewing experience and puts ESPN at the forefront of the next big advance for TV viewing."

To view the events in 3-D, ESPN will shoot the games with special cameras, and viewers will need a 3-D-ready television that is already being sold internationally.

The revolutionary technology has been in the works for two years, said Bodenheimer, and will beat out rivaling networks who have been trying 3-D also. Movie theaters have already implemented the technology in recent blockbusters like A Christmas Carol, Up and Avatar.

ESPN already used such methods in a dry run of their 3-D capabilities, showing this year's USC-Ohio State game in theatres for about 6,000 fans on USC's campus.

Discovery, IMAX and Sony have already announced that they plan on a partnership that will launch the first 24-hour 3-D network in 2011.