White Plains, N.Y. –
said Monday that it will again work with CBS Sports and the U.S. Tennis
Association to broadcast the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in 3D for a second
year.
This year’s 3D broadcasts also extend coverage from Louis
Armstrong Stadium.
As the host broadcaster,
CBS Sports 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,
Sept. 9-11.
Panasonic said the 3D production of the 2010 U.S. Open Tennis
Championships received an Emmy Award for technical achievement.
This year’s expanded 3D broadcast coverage will include
3D-specific positions designed by the telecast partners to provide the best 3D
perspectives, Panasonic said.
The action will be covered by 10 3D broadcast cameras and a high-speed
3D replay system. A preproduction model
of Panasonic’s new 3DP1 handheld FullHD 3D professional camcorder (available
later this fall) will be used to provide match and grounds coverage for the
telecast.
The overall court coverage will be based around 3D camera shadow
rigs designed by the Cameron Pace Group.
Panasonic returns as the official 3D electronics sponsor and the
official television of the U.S. Open Championships, as well as sponsor of CBS
Sports’ 2D and 3D US Open telecasts. Fans at the USTA Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center will be able to attend public viewing galleries featuring the
latest large-screen Viera FullHD 3DTVs. These on-site Panasonic “Experience
Amazing” exhibits will demonstrate a wide range of 3D programming, including
movies and live TV events. They will also showcase Panasonic’s Viera Connect
technology in web-connected TVs and Blu-ray Disc players, which feature Skype
video calling, Facebook and Twitter, among other things.
The Panasonic “Experience Amazing” 3D exhibits can be found on
the ground level of Louis Armstrong Stadium, at the Panasonic 3D Gaming Center
within the SmashZone, and at the Panasonic Viera Connect booth in the South
Plaza in front of Court 10.
CBS Sports’ 3D telecasts of event will 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 the CBS Sports coverage of the 2011 U.S.
Open available via the two largest multichannel 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.
“Panasonic is delighted to again be sponsoring the U.S. Open
Championships and bringing the passion and power of this premier tennis event
in stunning 3D to TV screens across the country,” stated Joseph Taylor, Panasonic
North America chairman and CEO. “The tennis pros on the courts will be
broadcast in 3D by sports production pros at our partner CBS, and with the USTA
itself, we are thrilled to be back at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis
Center for this top event.”
The 3D broadcasts will use a separate production team and
equipment from the traditional HD broadcasts of the tournament.
Plans call two special 3D production trucks and a unique
3D-dedicated CBS Sports broadcast team. CBS has designed and upgraded 3D
broadcast camera placements lower to the court than traditional TV locations in
order to capture the close-up and personal, athletic dimension of tennis that
make 3D such a powerful experience.
Other on-site promotions will include a FourSquare program where
fans can check into the Panasonic exhibits to receive special offers as well as
the “Experience Amazing” Scavenger Hunt in which QR codes will be located in
select locations throughout the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis
Center.
Fans who scan all of the codes receive a special premium and will
be eligible to win prizes, such as a Panasonic FullHD 3D Home Entertainment
system. Details on these promotions will be announced at a later date.
Panasonic and DirecTV will also provide the live CBS Sports 3D
broadcasts of the U.S. Open semi-final and final matches to hundreds of TV
retail outlets nationwide, including scores of Best Buy stores.