YES, FSN Northwest and DirecTV To Co-Produce 2 MLB Games in 3-D

Getting a jump on Fox’s 3-D production of the All-Star Game in July, YES Network has announced it will co-produce two New York Yankees games against the Seattle Mariners in 3-D. Not only will YES subscribers have access, so will FSN Northwest viewers. YES and FSN Northwest will do a joint production and DirecTV will pick the games up for fans in the YES and FSN Northwest footprints. We have the press release.

YES NETWORK, FSN NORTHWEST AND DIRECTV TO TAKE VIEWERS ‘DEEP’ WITH FIRST-EVER 3D MLB TELECASTS

YES’ JULY 10 and 11 YANKEES-MARINERS GAMES TO BE TELECAST IN 3D TO DIRECTV CUSTOMERS

NEW YORK, May 5, 2010 – YES Network, FSN Northwest and DIRECTV will present the first-ever Major League Baseball telecasts in 3D on Saturday, July 10 and Sunday, July 11 when the New York Yankees take on the Seattle Mariners.  DIRECTV and Panasonic will be presenting sponsors of the two 3D telecasts.

The historic 3D broadcasts from Safeco Field in Seattle will be made available to DIRECTV HD customers who have 3D TV sets and live within the YES “home team footprint,” which includes all of New York State and Connecticut, north and central New Jersey, and northeast Pennsylvania.  The 3D telecasts will also air live within the FSN Northwest footprint, including the entire states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska and parts of Montana and Idaho.  The Saturday, July 10 game telecast will begin at 10:00 p.m. ET, and the Sunday, July 11 game telecast will begin at 4:00 p.m. ET.   YES and FSN Northwest will both also produce their traditional HD telecasts of both games.  

“Our latest collaboration with DIRECTV reflects our commitment to explore new technologies which further immerse viewers in our telecasts,” said Ray Hopkins, COO, YES Network.  “These revolutionary telecasts speak to the power of the Yankees brand and strengthen YES’ leadership position in terms of bringing new viewer enhancements to market.”

“We’re proud to team up with YES to produce a unique, depth-defying look at the sport of baseball in 3D that will put the viewer right in the middle of the action,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of Entertainment for DIRECTV. “Like interactive TV and HD, 3D has the potential to completely transform the way we watch sports.”

Beginning this June, DIRECTV HD customers will receive a free software upgrade enabling them to have access to dedicated 3D channels on DIRECTV, which will include N3D™ powered by Panasonic, ESPN 3D, a 3D DIRECTV Cinema channel and a 3D DIRECTV on Demand channel. DIRECTV HD customers will need a 3D television set and 3D glasses to view 3D programming on DIRECTV.

That’s it.