Hardly anyone will watch, but ESPN2 presents two important things in the same broadcast at 7 tonight -- a slice of some 84-year-old Americana and a practice run for some emerging technology.The Americana comes in the form of the Harlem Globetrotters, and the game that airs tonight was taped live Thursday against their regular foils, the Washington Generals. Some interesting tweaks come with ESPN Radio hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic as guest coaches for the respective teams, and the entire event gets presented under the Disney Sports banner as the "re-launch" of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
Yes, it's a company show all the way around -- with Disney-owned ESPN presenting the event and its personnel playing big roles.
Still, the Globetrotters and their age-old schtick have proven their time-tested worth in the past on TV. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, they were a mainstay of "Wide World of Sports" presented by ABC Sports and as recently as 2008 the Globetrotters hour-long appearance on the fledgling MyNetworkTV cable channel produced some 2.4 million viewers.
While Globetrotters games are not competitive contests, and some of the related activities and skits have not changed almost since the inception of the barnstorming group, that comfort and familiarity do produce entertainment that has an audience. It would be a huge victory if 2.4 million people watched tonight, though, especially opposite the Olympics.
Mostly, the game provides some necessary programming for ESPN and another forum to hype both Disney World and ESPN the Weekend. In addition, ESPN's Emerging Technology Group used the contest as an another test for ESPN's 3D network, which will be fully launched in June with the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Officials expect ESPN 3D, the industry’s first 3D television network, to showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, with the first June 11 when South Africa meets Mexico in the Word Cup. Along with more than 20 World Cup games, the initial 3D schedule includes X Games 16, college basetball and college football -- including the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 10, 2011.
ESPN has been testing 3D for more than two years. Last fall, ESPN presented the USC at Ohio State football game in 3D. It was shown in theaters in the respective markets and on campus, and received generally positive feedback. Since then, ESPN has continually honed its effort and, in January, signed Sony as an official sponsor of the 3D network. As a result, Sony will be the exclusive 3D sponsor of the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, 13 regular season college football games and other events where ESPN will utilize Sony professional HD cameras.