The Orchid Group is going all-out to make its pubs the only place to watch the best live sporting action, by installing 3D televisions in 85 businesses across all of their operating divisions.
The pubs will all have 3D TV screens in place in time for the Manchester United v Chelsea game on 3 April 2010, to be broadcast live in 3D by Sky. From April, Sky will show at least a further five Premier League games - to be announced - before the end of the current season (Sunday 9th May) and the Coca-Cola Football League Play-Off Finals from Wembley Stadium at the end of May, all live and all in 3D.
In addition, three Orchid pubs are being transformed into ‘sport mecca’ sites, offering 3D TV, High Definition (HD) TV, and state-of-the-art sound and picture technology.
Orchid Group’s popular sports-led Manchester pub, the Sawyer’s Arms, was selected by Sky as one of just nine pubs nationwide which showed the Arsenal vs Manchester United match in 3D on January 31, using Sky’s brand new technology.
Sawyer’s Arms General Manager, Jess Harris said: “Our customers were impressed and unanimously agreed they’d choose 3D over 2D. The close-ups and low camera angles made the most of the technology and everyone was glued to the screen for the whole 90 minutes.”
The success of the 3D pilot and the hugely positive response from regulars at the Sawyer’s Arms has prompted Orchid’s decision to pioneer the UK roll-out of 3D TV across its most popular sports pubs.
The 85 pubs being fitted with 3D TV come from across Orchid’s pub formats, including selected Free House, Free House Dining, Fresh, Bar Room Bar and Ultimate Leisure outlets.
The three pubs being transformed into ‘sports meccas’ are the Cleveland Arms, Wolverhampton, the Alexandra, Harrogate, and the Wigmore Arms, Luton. All will be fitted with HD TV screens which feature five times the number of pixels per frame compared to standard TV, offering substantially better picture quality.
Simon Dodd, Orchid’s Commercial Director, said: “This is going to be a huge summer for sport, with the World Cup in South Africa as well as the launch of live 3D Premier League football. We’re investing in our pubs to make sure that watching the big match at an Orchid pub is the next best thing to being there.”
He adds, “In fact, because our high quality food and drink is so much better than anything you’d be offered at a stadium, we think watching the match with us is as good as it gets.”
