CEA and ESPN are sponsoring National 3D Demo Days,...

CEA and ESPN are sponsoring National 3D Demo Days, a weekend of 3D TV programming Sept. 10-12, at retail locations nationwide. ESPN programming for the event includes pre-recorded coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, X Games 16, an NCAA football telecast of Boise State vs. Virginia Tech from Sept. 6, 2010, and footage of the Harlem Globetrotters shot at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports facility in Orlando, Fla. The showcase event is the live Sept. 11 telecast of the NCAA football game between Ohio State and Miami at 3:40 p.m. EDT on ESPN 3D. Participating retailers can be found at www.digitaltips.org. “Each retailer will promote the event in their own way but we have been working with them on print and in-store ads, press promotion and online promotion,” a CEA spokeswoman told us. A scan of the DigitalTips website revealed Best Buy as a participating retailer across virtually all states, CompUSA and Tigerdirect.com in certain states -- along with the regional chains Fry’s, Listen Up, Video & Audio Center -- and Starpower Home Entertainment Systems. Specialty audio/video retailers also participating include Audio Craft in Cleveland, Sound World of Wausau in Wisconsin, The Sound Room in St. Louis and Stereo Barn in Sinking Spring, Pa. Noticeably absent from the list of retailers was hhgregg, which cited 3D in its earnings webcast last week as an important part of its video mix and profitability going forward (CED Aug 6 p3). “We are promotional regarding 3D now and will continue to be throughout the holiday season and beyond.,” Jeff Pearson, vice president of marketing at hhgregg, told us. “We will be partnering with manufacturers in store, in print and on TV.” CEA will promote National 3D Demo Days through national and regional public relations and marketing efforts and is hosting a satellite media tour promoting 3D technology at ESPN’s headquarters the week of the event, along with a webcast for reporters highlighting the event and CEA’s latest 3D market research. CEA will also pitch the event, along with information about 3D TVs and surround sound, to media outlets within the surrounding areas of participating retailers, it said.