ESPN and Sky today announce an agreement to broadcast ESPN’s Winter X Games 15 on Sky 3D throughout February and March. The event is the first ESPN 3D programming to be broadcast in the UK and will offer fans the chance to watch the Ski and Snowboard competitions for SuperPipe, Slopestyle and Big Air disciplines from the world’s premier winter action sports event.

The ESPN-produced coverage was filmed with 15 3D cameras that included ultra slow motion, flycam, crane-mounted and wireless skier-mounted 3D camera rigs. The complex 3D shooting set up brings viewers new, unique perspectives on the speed, distances travelled and feats of acrobatic athleticism displayed by the world’s premier winter action sports athletes – including 2011 medallists Shaun White, Lindsay Jacobellis, Kevin Rolland, Torstein Horgmo and the UK’s own Jenny Jones.

Attracting more than 200 of the world’s top athletes, this year marked the 10th consecutive year Winter X Games was held in Aspen and the first time ESPN produced live 3D coverage (airing 18 hours of original, live coverage on ESPN 3D in the U.S.). The second-ever Winter X Games Europe will be held in Tignes, France 16-18th March.

“The spectacular action and gravity defying tricks of some of the world’s greatest action sports athletes are all featured in Winter X Games 15,” said Murray Barnett, vice president, sports channels and syndication. “There can be no better technology than 3D to showcase their stunning ability. ESPN is proud to team up with Sky 3D to bring this unique event to viewers, and expect it’s just the first of many great sporting events in 3D that ESPN can serve to UK sports fans.”

John Cassy, Channel Director, Sky 3D added “ It’s great to be working with broadcasters like ESPN who are embracing what 3D can do for different genres of TV entertainment. Adding an exhilarating event like the Winter X Games to our channel line-up shows how we are building on our ambition to make Sky 3D the home of great 3D from Sky and a host of other broadcasters.”

ESPN’s Winter X Games 15 on Sky 3D – Programming Schedule

DATE TIME PROGRAMME
18 Feb 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 1
o Skiing – Men’s Superpipe Final
o Snowboard – Men’s Best Method
o Snowboard – Men’s Big Air Elimination
o Snowboard – Men’s Big Air Final

19 Feb 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 2
o Skiing – Men’s Slopestyle Final
o Snowboard – Women’s Superpipe Final
o Skiing – Men’s Big Air Elimination
o Skiing – Men’s Big Air Final

20 Feb 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 3
o Snowboard – Women’s and Men’s Slopestyle Final;
o Snowboard – Men’s Superpipe Final

23 Feb 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 1
4:30 – 6:30 p.m Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 1

24 Feb 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 2
5 – 7 p.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 2

25 Feb 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 3
5 – 7 p.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 3

13 Mar 10 – 12 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 1
12 – 2 p.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 2
2 – 4 p.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 3

16 Mar 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 1

17 Mar 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 2

18 Mar 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 3

28 Mar 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 1

29 Mar 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 2

30 Mar 9 – 11 a.m. Winter X Games 15 in 3D, episode 3

This year, Winter X Games 15 set new records for attendance, with 114,200 people attending the four-day event at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen – surpassing the previous high of 85,100 (Mt. Snow, Vermont – 2001).

www.espn.com
www.sky3d.com