Summary

CBS Television and Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America announced a sponsorship agreement to broadcast the 2001 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and Championship games in HDTV. The live telecasts from the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis will air in 1080i format, produced independently of CBS's standard analog broadcast.

Source document circa 2001 preserved as-is

Wednesday, February 28, 2001

    Final Four in HDTV on CBS


    NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2001 -- CBS Television and Mitsubishi Digital
    Electronics America, Inc. (MDEA) have entered into an agreement in
    which MDEA will sponsor High Definition Television coverage of the 2001
    NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and Championship games.

    The HDTV telecast, which will be presented live by CBS Sports, will be
    produced and transmitted independent of the Network's analog broadcast
    coverage. "CBS Sports is pleased to team with Mitsubishi to broadcast
    this year's Final Four in High Definition," said Sean McManus,
    President, CBS Sports. "With a continued commitment to HDTV programming
    by broadcasting the Final Four, The Masters(r), the U.S. Open and the
    AFC Championship, all for the second consecutive year, as well as Super
    Bowl XXXV, HDTV is fast becoming another great tradition at CBS Sports."

    CBS Sports' coverage of the 2001 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and
    Championship games will be broadcast live Saturday, March 31 (5:30-10:30
    PM, ET) and Monday, April 2 (9:00-11:30 PM, ET) from the Hubert H.
    Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. The live HDTV telecasts will be
    produced and transmitted independent of the regularly scheduled CBS
    Sports Final Four coverage being broadcast on the traditional analog
    network. All Final Four HDTV programming will be broadcast in 1080i,
    the highest-definition television format.