MUMBAI: The USTA has announced that Panasonic, which works in the area of 3D broadcast technology, will once again work with US media conglomerate CBS’ channel CBS Sports and the USTA to broadcast the US Open Tennis Championships in 3D for the second year.
This year’s 3D broadcasts will also extend to coverage of CBS Sports’ matches from Louis Armstrong Stadium.
CBS Sports will serve as the host broadcaster producing the 3D coverage for the USTA and Panasonic. It will produce 3D versions of all Arthur Ashe Stadium matches that it broadcasts in High Definition both on Labor Day Weekend and on Finals Weekend, from 9-11 September.
Last year’s 3D production of the 2010 US Open Tennis Championships – the first world-wide 3D broadcast of a tennis major – was honoured with a 2010 Emmy Award for technical achievement.
This year’s expanded 3D broadcast coverage will include new,
3D-specific positions designed by the telecast partners to provide the best 3D perspectives. The action will be covered by 10 3D broadcast cameras and a high-speed 3D replay system.
A pre-production model of Panasonic’s new 3DP1 handheld Full HD 3D professional camcorder (available later this fall) will be used to provide match and grounds coverage for the telecast. And the overall court coverage will again be based around the innovative 3D broadcast camera shadow rigs designed by the Cameron Pace Group and used last year.
CBS Sports’ 3D telecasts of the 2011 US Open will again be available on DirecTV’s channel 103, “n/3D Powered by Panasonic.” This year, Comcast will also carry the 3D broadcast coverage to its subscribers on Xfinity 3D, making CBS Sports coverage of the 2011 US Open available via the nation’s two largest multi-channel video providers.
Distribution discussions with additional providers are ongoing.
Additionally, the men’s and women’s finals will be streamed live in 3D on USOpen.org, the official website of the tournament.
USTA Chief Business and Communications Officer Harlan Stone said, “Working with our partners CBS Sports and Panasonic, we once again expect to be a leader in presenting our sport to fans in breathtaking new ways. Last year we saw the impressive production values for 3D television and now, by including Louis Armstrong Stadium and expanding our distribution, we are bringing this innovative new look to the sport to more people than ever before.”
The 3D broadcasts will use a separate production team and equipment from the traditional HD broadcasts of the tournament.
