Fox Sports on Super Bowl XLV: Why it won't be in 3D

Given that there are now about a million homes in the U.S. with 3D TVs, it would seem natural for this year's Super Bowl XLV to be broadcast in 3D as well as HD, especially since the first 3D Super Bowl commercials aired back in 2009.

But to the detriment of the entire 3D industry, that's not going to happen this year, thanks to Fox Sports' decision not to produce a 3D broadcast of the event—or to partner with another entity capable of producing and transmitting the game in 3D to 3D TV owners.

When we asked, Fox Sports told us there weren't enough 3D adopters for it to make business sense. "Unfortunately, given current levels of adoption, there is no business model that makes sense for producing a show as complex as the Super Bowl in 3D at this time. 3D requires an entirely separate production at significant expense without generating incremental revenue to offset the additional costs. We prefer to keep our focus all our energy on doing the best possible HD production possible, which this year features more than 40 cameras." 

That said, it would seem that the company could have partnered with another network, such as ESPN 3D or DirecTV's n3D channel, to produce and broadcast the event. Cable operators and other TV service providers could have offered the Super Bowl in 3D as a video-on-demand or pay-per-view selection to those with 3D TVs.

Even more surprising, it appears there will be no 3D commercials at this year's "Big Game," according to Fox, which said it wasn't aware of any ads produced in 3D. That seems to be a step backwards, given the 3D ads that aired during Super Bowl XLIII.

With Super Bowl ads generating between $2.5 million and $3 million per 30-second spot, I'm sure that Fox's decision to ignore 3D is rooted in economics: It basically said that 3D costs more, and the company doesn't make any more money from it. But I think the industry is missing a great opportunity to showcase its latest new technology. The Super Bowl has typically been a key TV sales event, and I imagine that both retailers and manufacturers would love to see potential customers heading into stores for Big Game 3D TV specials.

3D TV owners have already been able to watch the biggest events in other sports, such as the MLB All-Star game, golf's Masters, and the U.S. Open tennis championship, so it seems almost inconceivable there won't be a 3D Super Bowl this year. But perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. After all, Fox was the last major network to embrace real high-def broadcasts, instead offering faux "Fox Widescreen" to an unsuspecting audience.

So what do you think about the Super Bowl not being in 3D this year? Let us know if a 3D broadcast of the event would have had you shopping for a 3D TV this year.

—James K. Willcox