You knew it was coming…the writing was on the wall as ESPN began touting their 3D channel, ESPN 3D.  Of course, once they landed the contract to begin broadcasting Monday Night Football, the next step seemed quite logical – begin broadcasting it in 3D.  And…that’s the news we have for you here.  At the 3D Summit, an ESPN VP showed some video of sports fans watching 3D sports in local pubs.  One fan was very enthusiastic:  “My next TV purchase will be a 3D TV!”  Seeing this kind of reaction obviously got ESPN all warm and fuzzy inside, as they look to increase their already dominant market share of the sports reporting world. 

It will take a little while to take hold, as the 3D broadcasts of Monday Night Football won’t begin until 2014, but that can be seen as a positive.  Many are still using 2D televisions, and giving things another couple of years to progress should help the adoption rate.  Further, it will help the technology advance, ensuring that when they do begin these broadcasts, the visuals will be cutting edge. 

We’ve already seen interest in 3D sports in the UK, so this news, while important, probably doesn’t shock anyone.  I, for one, am a huge NFL fan, and think that watching the events in 3D will be killer.  The only question now is whether or not the rest of the NFL fan base will feel the same.  After seeing the reactions presented by ESPN at the 3D Summit, I think this one is a slam dunk…er…touchdown.

Image credit: engadget.com

If you’re a Virgin Media XL customer, things are about to start heating up on the 3D front.  When you consider sports and 3D technology, few lend themselves better than the ESPN X Games.  We’ve already heard that ESPN 3D is expanding at a relatively rapid pace, but now, you’ll be seeing the Summer X Games in 3D.  From BMX Street to Women’s Moto X Racing, they’ll be broadcasting to the younger generation…that means you guys.

Most sporting events that have experimented with 3D have found that viewers enjoy the experience but feel that the technology needs a bit more development.  Knowing that ESPN is getting involved should help quite a bit, as they’ve become the authority in the sporting world.  They plan to broadcast events from Los Angeles, France, and Aspen, CO so there should be no shortage of content.

Virgin Media XL is broadcasting the X Games in 3D to all customers with the right hardware, so maybe it’s time you upgraded.  No, I don’t own stock in the company, so I don’t benefit much, but the overall purpose of my job is to keep you guys informed so you don’t miss anything.  Well, it seems like the time to upgrade to 3D is rapidly approaching if you haven’t already.  I love sports.  I love 3D.  Hmmm…I think it’s starting to come together, folks.

It should come as no shock that one of the first 3D broadcasts through the BBC will be Wimbledon coverage.  The popular tennis major is the obvious landing spot for such an endeavor by the BBC.  This isn’t their first go at it, though.  Three years ago they tested some 3D content with a Rugby Six Nation match, so they’ve already had a bit of experience. 

The single finals for Wimbledon will air July 2nd and 3rd through the BBC HD channel on Freeview.  There’s also a chance you can catch it on Freesat, Virgin, or Sky.  The BBC won’t be the only station offering up 3D coverage of the English tennis tournament.  ESPN 3D will also be airing the semifinals live and then again at a better local viewing time. 

Sony will be helping on the tech end of the Wimbledon 3D coverage, so it’ll be interesting to see how it compares to Panasonic’s 3D work on the French Open.  Sky 3D has been off and running for quite some time in the UK, and though the BBC decided that they’d want to take a “wait and see” approach, it seems that they’re coming out of their shell a little bit.  So, it seems that the race is on…remember, the Olympics are in London in 2012.  We’ll likely be making history at this time next year…

Image credit: insideireland.ie