By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY, NSW: Fox Sports and Football Federation Australia have teamed up to gazump Channel Nine and the State of Origin by announcing that the Socceroos’ farewell match against the New Zealand All Whites a week from today will be broadcast in 3D.
Up to now, it was believed that Channel Nine would be the first to broadcast sport in 3D, with Game 1 of the 2010 State of Origin series set to be the record breaking moment. This announcement, however, mean Channel Nine must instead settle for being the first free-to-air 3D broadcaster.
The match, which is being played at the MCG, is designed to be a farewell exhibition for both the Australian and New Zealand teams, with both heading to South Africa to compete in the World Cup. Because Sony has strong ties to the football set up in both countries, it has joined forces as the technical broadcast partner.
“There is an extremely exciting future for 3D TV in Australia, particularly when it comes to sport,” said Sony Australia MD Carl Rose. “Viewing sport in 3D replicates the feeling of being right there at a game, while providing a completely new perspective. Sony’s expertise in creating and delivering a 3D experience is unmatched and this partnership with Fox Sports, Foxtel and Austar is a landmark in our roll-out of 3D technology to Australian homes.”
Although Sony will no doubt receive enormous brand exposure from this event, it won’t benefit from any sales in the build-up. Only LG and Samsung currently have 3D TVs on sale, meaning Sony is actually providing stimulation for sales of two of its chief rivals.
In order to deliver the 3D broadcast, Foxtel has created a new dedicated channel on its HD service. The channel, located at 200, is called Fox Sports 3D. The coverage will begin at 7:20pm. Viewers will need to be Foxtel iQ2 subscribers and have a 3D capable TV. The option is also available for Austar MyStar HD customers. The game will also be shown in 2D on Fox Sports 3.