One of football fans’ favorite viewing experiences just got a little less sacred: NFL RedZone will now include commercials.
After years of delivering seven hours of commercial-free football bliss every Sunday, host Scott Hanson has confirmed the streak is officially over. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show this week, Hanson revealed that ads are now a permanent part of the RedZone experience, following a test run late last season that fans were, let’s say, not thrilled about.
To be fair, the writing’s been on the wall ever since ESPN acquired NFL Media earlier this year, taking over the rights to RedZone. Hanson, for his part, made it clear this was not his decision. He said he’ll no longer use the phrase “seven hours of commercial-free football,” instead opting for the slightly tweaked, “seven hours of RedZone football starts now.”
“It’s a business decision,” Hanson explained, adding that the goal of showing every big play from every game remains unchanged. “We are not going to sacrifice any great football for the business side of things,” he promised.
Still, longtime viewers know this is a pretty major shift. RedZone’s entire appeal has always been its rapid-fire, ad-free format—a sports fan’s dream channel that jumps from game to game so you don’t miss a single touchdown. For years, it’s been one of the few places in sports broadcasting where you could binge without ever being interrupted by a car insurance jingle or a pizza ad.
The fact that commercials are now baked in has sparked frustration among diehard fans who feel the magic is being diluted for profit. Many are pointing to last season’s brief commercial experiment as the beginning of the end, especially since Hanson had initially promised a commercial-free experience before walking that back with an apology.
Now, it’s official: ads are in, and the uninterrupted glory days are out. If you’re interested in seeing what Red Zone will be like this season, check this out: