ESPN is placing a bet on 3D television as the next big thing.
The sports network plans to launch an all-3D channel, ESPN 3D, later this year, with at least 85 live events, starting with the June 11 FIFA World Cup match between South Africa and Mexico.
The new network will feature at least 25 FIFA World Cup games, plus some college basketball, Summer X-Games and college football games including the 2011 BCS National Championship.
The early reviews of sports in 3D have been largely positive, as ESPN has been testing the technology for two years and tried it out at last year's Ohio State-USC football game. Fox Sports has also tested 3D on some broadcasts, including last year's BCS National Championship Game. The NBA All-Star game was also shown in some theaters in 3D last year.
ESPN is expected to talk more about the new network as it heads to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Broadcasting and Cable magazine speculates that the launch of ESPN 3D will boost sales of new 3D televisions. The magazine also said there are rumblings that DirecTV is launching a new satellite for a 3D network, though nothing has been announced.
There is no word yet on how average people can get this new ESPN 3D network, or what the plan is for distribution. Chances are, ESPN doesn't want too much distribution just yet as it still works on perfecting the broadcasts. And cable and satellite providers may not have the capacity to add the network just yet. (Nor will they want to pay big bucks to carry the channel while the technology is still being perfected.)
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