Despite ESPN's Move, It's Not Game Over for 3D TVs

On Wednesday, ESPN announced it was pulling the plug on its 3D channel after three years — a move that follows AT&T's exit from the market. After being touted as the "next big thing" in 2010, 3D TVs appear to be going the way of the Flip camera

That's not remotely the case, however. Sales of 3D TVs are thriving. The reason you don't hear as much about 3D is because it has become just one of several high-end features, not a draw in itself.

Sales in the United States for 3D TVs will hit 5.7 million this year, a 39% increase from last year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. That's good news for manufacturers, as 3D-enabled sets cost double the average price of a TV. Some 17% of TVs will offer 3D functionality this year, versus 12% that offered it last year. That said, Shawn DuBravac, chief economist for the CEA, says that the days are gone when 3D alone was a prime motivator for a purchase. "In reality, consumers are buying for a suite of feature sets," DuBravac says