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After NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson went on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday and officially confirmed commercials are returning full-time to RedZone this season, the sports public on social media erupted in complaints, gripes, and barbs at Disney and ESPN, which last month struck an equity deal with the league.
Here’s what’s actually happening.
RedZone began quietly testing ads last December in a two-box style, where ads appeared while NFL action remained on-screen. The NFL says that is how the ads this season will run: exactly as they did during that test.
There will be four 15-second ads in the seven-hour edition of RedZone in Week 1, a source tells FOS. That could change later in the season.
There will not be full ad breaks, where the football action disappears from the screen.
“It’s an incredibly small ad load,” an NFL spokesperson told Front Office Sports.
While ads are playing, viewers will hear the audio of the ads, but the other box will show NFL RedZone.
“This move has been contemplated and tested for over a year now, and is completely unrelated to the recent news regarding ESPN and the NFL,” the league told FOS.
McAfee did say, “I don’t think anybody is upset about the commercials. It’s an easy thing to tweet about and post about, but I don’t think anybody is turning it off because of commercials, and the NFL knows that.” The comment was roundly mocked on X/Twitter.
Sports fans are also confused about ESPN’s involvement in the ads. Disney does not yet own NFL Network since the extensive deal between Disney and the NFL has not closed—but even once the deal is done, Disney will not own RedZone. It will merely have licensing and distribution rights. RedZone will remain owned and operated by the NFL.
RedZone’s popularity and Hanson’s skill in hosting it led NBC’s Peacock to create a Gold Zone whip-around show hosted by Hanson at the 2024 Paris Olympics. FOS broke the news that Hanson will return to Peacock to host a similar presentation for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
He’s not leaving RedZone anytime soon, either; FOS also broke the news of his long-term contract extension this May.
The NFL does not release ratings numbers for RedZone, but it is available in more than 50 million homes via various TV and streaming providers. The channel requires an extra fee, typically $10 per month, or comes as part of a wider premium sports tier package.
