Arsenal and Manchester United to play in 3D

As James Cameron's 3D blockbuster Avatar becomes the highest-grossing film ever, overtaking Titanic, news comes that the Premier League is also set to make history using the same groundbreaking film technology. BSkyB's broadcast of the Arsenal v Manchester United this Sunday will be the first-ever live broadcast of a sporting event in 3D.

While the idea of a giant Wayne Rooney looming out of the screen may be faintly disturbing to some, Sky will broadcast the Emirates Stadium game in 3D to nine pubs in cities including London, Manchester, Cardiff and Dublin. So far, however, the locations of these pubs are a secret.

Unsuspecting pub regulars will get the chance to don 3D glasses and, says Sky, become "the first audience anywhere in the world to experience live Premier League in 3D". If the experiment is successful the broadcaster plans to roll out the technology to hundreds more pubs in the next few months.

"3D is without doubt one of the most talked about developments in television for many years," said Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch. "So we fully intend to take the lead in bringing the spectacle of 3D to the UK and Ireland."

Sky has beaten its rival ESPN, which announced this month that it will screen this year’s World Cup in South Africa in 3D. It has also pipped England’s rugby team to the claim of first 3D sports broadcast. Rugby sponsor O2 had claimed that England’s match against Wales on February 6 would be the first live event of its kind, with 3D screenings in 40 cinemas across the UK. ·