Panasonic Aces Roland Garros with 3DTV

Core Facts

Grand Slam broadcast live in 3D

• Panasonic, in collaboration with the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), Orange and Eurosport delivers the first live 3D broadcast of a major multi-day sports tournament in Europe

• Panasonic showcased its full end-to-end 3D capabilities at Roland Garros:
  - The Panasonic 3D camcorder AG-3DA1 was used on court and in the alleys for filming
  - Broadcast production equipment such as the 3D professional video monitor BT-3DL2550 was used to control the 3D picture quality in Orange’s direction and production facility
  - State-of-the-art Viera TX-P50VT20 3D Plasma TVs showed the tournament in retail stores across Europe

• The 3D coverage produced on-site by Orange was broadcast live via ADSL and fiber to Orange subscribers throughout France on its new dedicated 3D TV service

• Eurosport delivered the live 3D signal via satellite to Panasonic TX-P50VT20 3D Viera Plasma TVs in more than 3,000 retail stores across the rest of Europe

• According to Screen Digest research, commissioned by Panasonic; a quarter of households in or Western economies will have a 3D-capable TV in the home by the end of 2014

• In addition, 80 percent of all planned 3D channels will focus on sporting events and the availability of live 3D sports content is expected to have a major impact on the consumer uptake of 3D in the home

The first live 3D broadcast of a major multi-day sports tournament across Europe took place between May 23 and June 6 2010. The French Open, Roland Garros is one of the most prestigious events in the sporting calendar and is the tennis grand slam with the widest European television audience.

A joint partnership between Panasonic, the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), Orange and Eurosport delivered the live 3D broadcast and transmission of all matches on the centre court of Roland Garros to 3,000 stores in 58 European territories excluding France. Additionally, it was broadcast live in 3D via ADSL and fiber to Orange subscribers throughout France on a dedicated Orange TV channel.  This event has potentially amassed the largest 3D viewing audience of a live event to date.

Panasonic also commissioned a Screen Digest whitepaper on the 3D broadcast market. The whitepaper highlights that live 3D sporting events will be the biggest driver for the 3D broadcast industry; “3D content will not just be limited to feature films but must embrace the full gamut of viewing experiences that people want from their TV, including console gaming and broadcast television. Feature films and the big screen world of 3D cinema do certainly translate into the home via 3D Blu-ray Disc (BD) and broadcast of 3D films, but the opportunity to provide 3D experiences by broadcasters is much greater: prime time series, entertainment, documentaries and perhaps most importantly live sports events.” 

Quotes

• Mr. Miyata, SVP AVC Networks Company, Panasonic Corporation:
  “Panasonic’s key strength is that we are the only manufacturer that can provide the whole end-to-end 3D suite.”

• Mr. Abadie, Chairman and CEO, Panasonic Europe Ltd
  “This was the real ‘kick-off’ event of 3D in Europe and it demonstrated just how great 3D content is. This was a unique moment for all of us.”

• Mr. Xavier Couture, Head of Orange Content
  “At Orange we believe 3D will be a great success and a real revolution. We want our customers to really experience 3D.”

• Mr. Laurent-Eric Le Lay, Chairman and CEO of Eurosport
  “All kinds of sports will need to find a way to be produced in 3D. Work will need to take place between producers like FFT; broadcasters, like Orange and Eurosport; and manufacturers like Panasonic to ensure the production of sports events in 3D.”

• Mr. Gilbert Ysern, Tournament Director and General Manager of the FFT
  “We wanted to give people the option to watch Roland Garros in the best possible way. Our tickets are always in high-demand; 3D offers another route to exceptional viewing.”

Boilerplate Statements

About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.42 trillion yen (EUR 56.6 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2010. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net.