ESPN to drop 3D channel

ESPN is set to pull the plug on its US 3D sports channel by the end of this year, the broadcaster has said.

The news comes three years to the month after the Disney-owned sports operator introduced the ESPN 3D channel. ESPN attributed the closure to poor viewer figures and said it would instead focus on other products.

In a statement, ESPN said: “Due to limited viewer adoption of 3D services to the home, ESPN is discontinuing ESPN 3D. We are committing our 3D resources to other products and services that will better serve fans and affiliates.

“Nobody knows more about sports in 3D than ESPN, and we will be ready to provide the service to fans if or when 3D does take off. As technology leaders, we continue to experiment with things like Ultra High Definition television production tools to produce our current ESPN family of HD channels.”

The 3D network launched on DirecTV, Comcast, and AT&T U-verse and also went live on Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS, Bright House Networks and Cablevision. Events covered on the network included 3D coverage of the 2010 World Cup as well as Masters golf and NBA playoff basketball.