3D pub football went well

ACCORDING TO REPORTS Sky Television's first 3D football broadcasts, which took place in a handful of pubs across the country, went well.

Sky showed the football match between Arsenal and Manchester United this weekend, which Man U won, at pubs in London, Cardiff, Manchester and Edinburgh, giving fans a first look at what the future of watching football at home will be like. And most people liked it.

David Wubelski, 71, from London, told the Daily Mail, "I've been watching Arsenal for 60 years and went to a game four weeks ago and this is better - the close-ups are fantastic but the wide angle is not quite so impressive."

Another adds, "The 3D looks great close up but on the wide shots it flattens out. It's definitely an enhancement. I go to watch a lot of games live and in some way this is better, but it really depends where you are in the stadium."

Both of them make us wonder whether it really was any good or not.

Wide angle problems prove to be something of a theme in the reviews of the broadcast. The London Evening Standard drew one supporter away from the match long enough to hear him say, "Watching the game in 3D you are really drawn into it. It is really sharp - not so much on the far angles, but the close ups are excellent."

Meanwhile, gadget paper T3 managed to find someone to speak to who by the sounds of it didn't even know if he was in a pub. "It really works when it's in depth especially when you see shots from behind the goal. It takes a little while to get used to, it's a bit like doing crazy illegal drugs," said Tom Williamson.

Another football fan in attendance at the same pub as T3 had a great idea - compromise the flow of a football game, just to make the best of a new technology. "I think in the close-ups is where it was really good. More throw-ins that's what we need!," said Man U fan Matt Beadle.

Sky expects to be showing about one 3D game a week by late spring, so we'll be looking forward to those extra throw-ins. µ