Well, even though sporting events are the most widely broadcast 3D programming and ESPN 3D is now the only multi-carrier 24/7 3D channel available, there won’t be any 3D broadcasts of the upcoming Super Bowl.
Consumer Reports asked Fox Sports, which owns exclusive rights to the airing of the Super Bowl, why there was no decision to take the biggest sporting event of the year to the next dimension.
“Unfortunately, given current levels of adoption, there is no business model that makes sense for producing a show as complex as the Super Bowl in 3D at this time. 3D requires an entirely separate production at significant expense without generating incremental revenue to offset the additional costs. We prefer to keep our focus all our energy on doing the best possible HD production possible, which this year features more than 40 cameras,” said the network.
More than a million 3D TVs were sold last year, but that number is below what hopeful analysts and manufacturers were expecting. Nevertheless, DirecTV has a slate of 3D channels and ESPN 3D now airs 24/7 3D content, including commercials. ESPN 3D will only give sponsorship time to ads that are filmed in 3D.
The Super Bowl was one of the first huge television events to be available in HD. To date, the Super Bowl season remains one of the biggest times for new HDTV purchases. But it looks like 3D isn’t getting the early adoption treatment.
Other major sports have gotten the 3D treatment, including baseball (MLB All-Star game), tennis (US Open), and golf (The Masters). But it looks like we’ll have to wait at least until next year before the biggest of the big is taken to the next level.
