ESPN 3D, currently on court with the NBA Finals, will step over the net with its initial tennis telecasts in the enhanced format from the hallowed grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in London from July 1-4.
The 3D network will showcase the men's semifinals and the women's and men's finals from Wimbledon on a delayed basis (see schedule below), in deference to NBC's broadcast rights in the U.S The four matches will be the first 3D tennis televised by the network, which launched in June 2010.
As part of a multiyear partnership, the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the BBC and Sony, ESPN's 3D sponsor/partner, is also scheduled to air the same matches in high-definition 3D and make the feed -- which is ESPN is taking and then adding its own commentators, who have yet to be determined -- available to 3D-capable cinemas around the world. The live 3D production, in partnership with the Wimbledon host broadcaster the BBC, is being offered to interested global broadcasters.
Last weekend, Tennis Channel, which just renewed its multimedia alliance with ESPN for coverage of the French and Australian Opens, presented 21 hours of 3D coverage from Roland Garros to Comcast, DirecTV and AT&T U-verse subscribers. CBS presented select coverage from the 2010 U.S. Open in the enhanced format.
ESPN 3D's Wimbledon coverage complements ESPN2's extensive two-week schedule with more than 100 live hours, beginning Monday, June 20.
"ESPN 3D continues to provide fans the best in sports and adding coverage from Wimbledon is another example of a marquee event on our network," said Bryan Burns, vice president, strategic business planning, in a statement. "ESPN 3D has shown several championships over the course of its' first year and we are pleased to enter our second year of programming with this outstanding tennis event."
ESPN 3D Wimbledon tennis schedule:
DateTime (ET)Event
Fri, July 18 p.m.Gentlemen's Semifinal #1
Sat, July 21 a.m.
(Friday, 10 p.m. PT)Gentlemen's Semifinal #2
Mon, July 47 a.m.Ladies' Final
9 a.m.Gentlemen's Final
12 p.m.Gentlemen's Semifinal #1 (reair)
3 p.m.Gentlemen's Semifinal #2 (reair)
6 p.m.Ladies' Final (reair)
8 p.m.Gentlemen's Final (reair)
