Sky Deutschland Shows 3D-HD Live Soccer

German pay-TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland will for the first time in Germany screen a live transmission in high definition 3D-TV – a soccer match in March. On March 14 the soccer Bundesliga game between Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburger SV will be produced in 3D by national soccer league DFL and its subsidiary Sportcast and broadcast by Sky to a selected audience in Munich.

When 3DTV becomes reality, Sky’s HD subscribers are already prepared as the current Sky HD boxes are capable of receiving 3D offers, although a new TV set will be needed.

“Sky screens by far the most original HD content and is leading the way in this area in Germany and Austria,” said deputy CEO Brian Sullivan who will take over the CEO position from Mark Williams on April 1. “With the first HD-3D live production in Germany we make the next step now, giving a first, early outlook at how the already-fantastic HD experience can develop further in future.”

With the move, the pay-TV broadcaster continues its tradition of being a first-mover in technical innovations: On December 3 2005, Sky’s predecessor Premiere carried out the first HD live transmission in MPEG4/H.264 in Germany.

By Jörn Krieger, Rapid TV News