Sure, ESPN's been taking advantage of widescreen to cover the
NFL Draft, but it's still a bit surprising that the 2009 Draft Weekend is the first one ready for HDTV, getting beaten to the punch by the
WNBA. Check out the picture above for a quick comparison of the
2008 screen (bottom) to the
new 2009 compression format (top), shot in HD and better able to take advantage of the 16x9 frame. Also new for '09? If you haven't noticed already, Todd McShay's
gone all CNN on us with a "perceptive pixel touch screen" to swipe around player stats and draft possibilities, along with 21 remote cameras following potential draftees on both days. Check the gallery for bigger versions, then resume your 5th mock draft of the day, unfortunately for us, it probably won't include the Detroit Lions doing the smart thing and picking an offensive lineman first.
The NBA season is winding down, with the conference finals finally under way, but for the first time there will be plenty of high definition basketball all summer thanks to the WNBA. every regular and postseason game broadcast on ABC and ESPN2 will be in HD, starting with the Shock vs. Sparks, June 6. Not close to your HDTV, or in the U.S.? No problem, the games will be on ESPN360.com, ESPN Australia HD and ESPN Brazil HD (there is a ESPN Brazil HD?) Things got kicked off with the HD WNBA draft and while there might still not be much dunking, the league is at least ready to provide the high quality broadcasts enjoyed by the NBA.
