Cineworld in Talks to Screen Live 3D Football

The UK's second biggest cinema chain is in talks to screen live 3D football next year. Cineworld wants to recreate the buzz of the big game for those who can't get a ticket. With 3D glasses and the roar of the crowd through speakers, bosses say it will be the next best thing to actually being at the match. Screening live boxing matches is also on the cards.

The 75-strong chain revealed its ambitious plans after announcing that profits had rocketed 33% for the first half of the year. Big hits like Slumdog Millionaire, Star Trek and Angels & Demons helped bring in 18% more cinema-goers in the past six months. And profits from ticket sales increased as people happily paid more for 3D films such as Monsters Vs Aliens and Coraline.

Film fans pay around £2 extra to watch 3D movies. Cineworld already shows live opera in about half its complexes and also sees this as a growing market.

Chief executive Stephen Weiner said: "We want something where fathers and sons can come along too and will probably take out the alcohol element. 3D is a very exciting concept, especially when it comes to sport, and we've been offered football."

By Graham Hiscott and Justin Harper, Mirror