Despite plenty of hype the 2010 World Cup will not be broadcast in 3D in this country (aside from at a select few cinema screens around the UK), as although the South African broadcasters have the technology in place at many of the host stadiums, the rights to show the tournament here reside with the BBC and ITV, which do not as yet broadcast in 3D.
Bad news then for TV manufacturers keen to sell consumers one of their newly launched 3D sets. However with the exclusivity of a Sky 3D package out of the picture as well, it’s an added challenge for restaurant, bar and pub owners keen to attract consumers away from their comfy sofas and cheap supermarket beer.
For its part, Sky is pushing the World Cup in high definition (HD) as BBC and ITV HD broadcasts (available via Freestat) will be on offer through a Sky-HD box, also. It sounds convoluted but if you already pay for a Sports package and have an HD box, it’s worth taking into account as something you can use to set your World Cup experience apart from watching it at home, as despite having capable sets the majority of UK households won’t as yet be receiving HD programmes.
To buy or not to buy
Barrie Guy, general manager, LG Business Solutions, suggests leasing equipment if you’re unsure about laying out a lot of cash for something that might not be central to your business, as there are plenty of deals about for the World Cup.
If you can afford to spend a little more now there’s always the new Premiership football season, which kicks off on 14 August, ahead. Select games will be broadcast in 3D as they were this season, and while your World Cup coverage will be HD at best, it will still get footie fans in and within a few months you’ll have the added draw of 3D broadcasts to strengthen your hand.
Either way you have options, says Guy: “The projectors are compact and lightweight but give an image of over 120” wide – so ideal for a large room or hall, whereas the TVs are great for a smaller venue. Both are available at a reasonable price for the average pub or hotel.
“Both are easy to install – so all an hotelier or bar-owner needs to do is check that there is somewhere with no obstructions for the screen (in the case of the projector) and remember to buy the 3D glasses too. They will need to think about how they manage allocation of these - but they are relatively inexpensive so as long as they have enough, they should be ok.”
Publicising that you’re showing the World Cup
So, you’ve got your new set or projector in place and now you need to get the word out (refer back to our Utilising Space article on how best to strike a balance).
One new free-service that might be worth considering is Footy Pubs 2010 from social media site Drinksin. The smartphone application is available for iPhone via the App Store and also for Nokia phones, the latter with the added bonus of an in-store marketing campaign from retailer Phones4U.
Get your bar, pub or restaurant registered for free and consumers looking to find where the football is being shown will receive a list of local venues, World Cup offers and directions thanks to the wonders of GPS.
Visit our special feature: FIFA World Cup 2010 section for more ideas and advice.