Details
Ref: Live Football TV broadcasts in 3D
aka: 3-D TV
First Celtic Televised 3D match: Rangers 2-2 Celtic, Scottish Cup 6 Feb 2011
Dates: 2010’s (died around 2014)
Summary
Following all the technical marvels in the early 2000’s, cinema was at a key crossroads in its history. At home many now had massive flatscreens with even more expensive sound systems, so cinemas had to look to take a brave leap. They ended up reverting to the tried, tested & previously failed 3D experiments, but with the new modern technology surely they could make a fist of things? Not so simple it turned out to be.
Once TV adopted the idea, Sky TV started to broadcast live TV football games in 3D, beginning with a number across the mainstream chain pubs, handing out those daft glasses for all to wear (like in the picture to the right).
On 6 Feb 2011, the first such match involving Celtic was aired, a Scottish Cup match v Rangers that ended 2-2. The match was very high profile and ended up full of talking points, but to the chagrin of TV execs the 3D element really wasn’t one of them, if anything it passed everyone by. Probably other future Celtic matches were also broadcast in 3D, but again hardly anyone paid any interest.
Of those who attended pubs showing 3D matches, few were too keen on it, and the experience hardly added any value. If anything, for some it was a hindrance and distraction. You can see where the value potentially could be for viewing sports, but really not sufficiently for it to be a game changer. The quality simply wasn’t good or immersive enough.
In time, the whole 3D experiment in sport, TV and then cinema inevitably collapsed. Sad to see in some ways but not all ‘progress‘ is a winning idea. 3D broadcasting was, despite all the technical innovation and fanfare, little advanced or much of an improvement over its predecessors from the 1950’s or 1980’s. The novelty had once again grown tired and then dissipated. Its introduction into sport was probably misjudged, more a drive by over-eager executives than due to any real understanding of the product, and really just an arrogant and delusional way to try to grind out even more revenue from the average punter.
Not necessarily the end for 3D sports coverage but definitely has been in this current format. Possibly we’ll all see it again in a new variation in the future.
To be frank, if you really do want to watch a football match in 3D then the only honest answer is to get yourself to the actual match.