Sony Reups With ESPN 3D, Debate Rages Over 3D Sets

ESPN3D

The launch sponsor behind the ESPN 3D network, which became a 24/7 channel earlier this year, has re-upped. Sony, which manufactures the fledgling 3D sets, will continue as the lead backer for a second year.

Sony, along with P&G and Pixar, ran the first 3D ads on ESPN 3D last year. Sony competitor Panasonic is the top-line sponsor of a DirecTV full-time 3D channel.

Over the next few months, ESPN 3D will carry soccer matches involving world power Real Madrid, boxing, the Summer X Games and Little League World Series games.

This fall, the third-dimension network will offer a second season of college football, with double the number of games as a year ago. Sony cameras are used by ESPN to produce events for the network, which appears to be part of the Sony-ESPN arrangement.

At the same time, the Consumer Electronics Association, the trade group for manufacturers that counts Sony as a member, is challenging projections from SNL Kagan about sales of 3D TVs.

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Kagan issued a forecast that by the end of the year, about 2% of U.S. homes would have a 3D set (a total of 1.8 million). The CEA shot back, saying that 3% of households already have them, based on figures it obtains directly from the manufacturers.

The study further indicated that "consumer adoption" of 3D sets would be "slow" this year, but the CEA in a July 1 blog post said the opposite, claiming ownership rates would "increase significantly" in 2011.

Kagan had also projected a large difference in "sell-through" rates between 2010 and 2011. CEA says "they muddy the water and fail to grasp how retailers behave."

No matter how many homes have 3D TVs, not all have distributors offering ESPN 3D. Or if it is available, they may not have their sets hooked up properly to watch.

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