ESPN Will Shut Down Its 3D Network By The End Of The Year Amid Limited Adoption

ESPN says it will shut down its ESPN3D network at the end of the year, 3 1/2 years after it launched. ESPN blamed the shutdown on "limited viewer adoption of 3D services to the home." ESPN launched its 3D channel in June '10 around the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. But the cost of subscribing to the service -- not to mention the bulky glasses consumers had to wear to watch it -- slowed the adoption rate for 3D considerably. To access 3D services, consumers had to buy 3D-enabled televisions and subscribe to higher levels of cable service. ESPN says it will commit its 3D resources to other services. "We continue to experiment with things like Ultra High Definition television production tools to produce our current ESPN family of HD channels." As for 3D, an ESPN spokesperson said the company would bring the service back "if or when 3D does take off."