FIFA and Sony to Launch First Ever Global 3D Experience of the FIFA World Cup(TM)

London, April 8, 2010 (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Schedule of the 25 games in 3D announced
- Sony to Release the Official 3D FIFA World Cup(TM) Film on Blu-ray Disc
in 2010
- Sony to Produce and Show 25 Exclusive Promotional Trailers for the
Official 3D Film Featuring Images of the FIFA World Cup in 4,000 Retail
Stores Globally
- 3D Live Broadcast and Public Viewing to be Made Available at Selected
Locations Globally
- Sony 3D Technology as the Provider of Cutting-Edge Next-Generation 3D
Solutions

Following the initial joint announcement to make the world's
first FIFA World Cup(TM) available in 3D, FIFA and Sony Corporation
today unveiled insights into what the football fans around the globe
can expect from this innovative undertaking to add a third dimension
to the football viewing experience. Coinciding with the rapidly
growing consumer interest in 3D fuelled by the release of blockbuster
movie titles in 3D and impending launch of 3D TV sets for the home,
the first ever FIFA World Cup(TM) in 3D will further capture the
excitement for millions of football fans around the globe.

With a total of seven pairs of Sony's professional HDC cameras on
rigs at every match (model: HDC-1500), the action on the pitch will
be captured in a stunning 3D quality enabled through its proprietary
multi-image processor (model: MPE-200) and 3D Outside Broadcast
truck. Sony's cutting-edge processor, the only one in the market to
date, makes an end-to-end workflow possible in the production process
and automatically adjusts the depth-of-field to ensure an
unprecedented and optimal 3D viewing experience around the world.
Starting from the FIFA Confederations Cup last year in South Africa,
Sony has been working on enhancing the 3D capturing of fast-moving
football action and has since conducted a number of 3D filming trials
in Europe.

3D filming will be realised at five out of the 10 FIFA World Cup
stadiums: Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape
Town and Port Elizabeth. 25 matches in total will be filmed and
broadcast in 3D, which will include a carefully chosen selection of
those games expected to attract most public attention, including the
opening game on June 11 at Soccer City (South Africa vs Mexico) and
the crowning final game on July 11 also in Johannesburg. Other games
to be captured in 3D are:

1. June 11 16:00h RSA v MEX
2. June 12 16:00h ARG v NGA
3. June 13 20:30h GER v AUS
4. June 14 13:30h NED v DEN
5. June 15 20:30h BRA v PRK
6. June 16 16:00h ESP v SUI
7. June 17 13:30h ARG v KOR
8. June 18 16:00h SVN v USA
9. June 19 13:30h NED v JPN
10. June 20 20:30h BRA v CIV
11. June 21 20:30h ESP v HON
12. June 22 20:30h NGA v KOR
13. June 23 20:30h GHA v GER
14. June 24 16:00h SVK v ITA
15. June 25 16:00h POR v BRA
16. June 27 20:30h 1st B v 2nd A
17. June 28 16:00h 1st E v 2nd F
18. June 28 20:30h 1st G v 2nd H
19. July 2 20:30h Quarter finals
20. July 3 16:00h Quarter finals
21. July 3 20:30h Quarter finals
22. July 6 20:30h Semi finals
23. July 7 20:30h Semi finals
24. July 10 20:30h 3rd place match
25. July 11 20:30h Final

"The 3D feed from these 25 matches will be made available for
broadcast on 3D channels, which can be enjoyed by consumers on their
3D-compatible TV sets in the comfort of their home, almost as if they
were in the football stadium themselves," said Niclas Ericson,
Director of FIFA TV. "Whilst discussions with major broadcasters are
ongoing, I am very pleased to announce the first confirmed partners
for the 3D live broadcast, who are ESPN in the US and Sogecable in
Spain. We expect further announcements to be made shortly," he added.

In line with FIFA's and Sony's endeavour to make this new
exciting 3D viewing experience available to as many football fans as
possible, a dedicated global 3D public viewing project will debut at
this year's FIFA World Cup. Eight matches will be fed live to digital
cinemas and selected venues in 3D HD quality around the globe. To
this end, FIFA has appointed Swiss-based Aruna Media AG to manage the
exclusive 3D cinema and entertainment venue rights for live games in
3D. Aruna plans to broadcast live 3D coverage of matches to around 26
countries and is in advanced discussions with several major markets.

Reaffirming its leading position at the forefront of the emerging
3D market, Sony is the key technological enabler of this new viewing
experience and enhances the excitement of football fans, either
watching a football match live in the stadium or enjoying a new 3D
experience through 3D TV channels or at the public viewing events
around the world. "Sony has long standing credentials in the creation
of professional 3D technology and content for theatrical use," said
Hiroko Saito, Deputy General Manager of Global Sponsorships, Sony
Corporation. "True to our strategy 'From the lens to the
living-room', we are actively involved at every stage of the 3D value
chain and proudly draw on the strengths of the '3D World created by
Sony', which encapsulates our expertise in professional solutions,
consumer electronics, movie making and gaming alike. We are very
excited to capitalise on these strengths and to be able to complement
our compelling 3D proposition by bringing an entirely new viewing
experience to the world of football through our partnership with
FIFA," Saito added.

Complementing the 3D live broadcast and public viewing
activities, the general public will also be able to exclusively enjoy
the 3D promotional trailers shown on Sony 3D BRAVIA TVs in around
4,000 Sony-affiliated retail stores worldwide, including 200 Sony
flagship stores (total number of Sony-affiliated retail stores: 1,500
in North America, 1,300 in Europe, 500 in Japan, 200 in Asia, 200 in
Latin America, and 30 in South Africa). Furthermore, Sony Pictures
Home Entertainment today unveiled plans to produce and distribute the
official FIFA film in 3D on Blu-ray Disc this year.

ots Originaltext: Sony Corporation & FIFA
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
CONTACT: For more information, please contact: FIFA: Julia
Ferguson,Deputy Head of Public Relations, Julia.Ferguson@fifa.org,
Tel:+41-43-222-7777; Sony Corporation: Ikuma Nakagawa/Susumu Kitadai,
CorporateCommunications, sony.pressroom@sony.co.jp, Tel:
+81-3-6748-2200; SonyEurope: Sylvia Shin, Head of Corporate PR,
Sylvia.Shin@eu.sony.com, Tel:+44-1932-816-614