Sky have announced that they will be launching their very own dedicated 3D channel, the first to be provided in the Europe. In order to give the technology a dry run as it were, Sky will be broadcasting this Sunday's top of the table Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester United in the format. This is the first time ever that a TV company will be broadcasting a live 3D sports event although it will only be viewable at nine selected pubs across the United Kingdom.

Pubs in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin have already been set up with '3D Ready' television sets which are amongst the first hit the shores of England and Ireland. As the sets become more widely available, Sky will roll out the service to hundreds of pubs from April allowing fans to catch the best of of Premier League action in 3D every week.

When 3D sets reach the households of the British public later on this year, Sky 3D will be made available to all Sky+HD viewers, initially at no extra cost which means you will be able to experience the wonders from the comfort of your own sofa for anything from movies to documentaries. In order to make it all possible the company will record two edits of its live coverage from the Emirates this Sunday, one for HD and one for 3D.

Sky Chief Executive, Jeremy Darroch said, "3D is without doubt one of the most talked-about developments in television for many years. Sky has always innovated to bring customers the best possible viewing experience, so we fully intend to take the lead in bringing the spectacle of 3D to the UK and Ireland."

Meanwhile Gerry O'Sullivan, Sky's Director Of Strategic Product Development said, "2010 is the year for 3D TV. People have already embraced 3D cinema and because Sky's 3D service uses the same kind of technology, we're confident there will be demand for sport, movies, concerts and drama in 3D." He continued, "The good news is that all Sky+HD customers already have the set-top box they need to enjoy 3D, meaning they simply need to buy any new 3D TV, all of which will work seamlessly with Sky's ground breaking new service."

With 3D already the next big thing in terms of viewing entertainment the question is, are you looking forward to the shift? We're off to pack our bags now and find one of the nine pubs showing Sunday's game. Toothbrushes are off the top of the travel list however, to be replaced by our now more important 3D glasses!