“Seven hours of RedZone football starts here.”
That’s how Scott Hanson opened Sunday’s broadcast, with his usual energy – but this time, with humor. Why? Because last week (and this week again), the NFL’s RedZone channel — long celebrated for its uninterrupted, blitz free of touch ads and drama — broke its sacred covenant: it ran markets.
Naturally, fans lose.
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The Tweet may have been deleted
The Tweet may have been deleted
While Dec. 15 broadcasts feature commercials, an NFL spokesman said Bad publicity it was just a “test”. Hanson even issued an apology saying the stream would remain unsold, which, devastatingly, it wasn’t. Fans were hoping it would be just one game. Hiccups. A blip.
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But Sunday came. And yes, those ads were back.
For those unfamiliar, NFL RedZone offers instant, all-access viewing of every touchdown and key moment across the league, removing the timeouts and fluff common to most game broadcasts. It has gained a devoted following precisely because it prioritizes continuous action.
That’s what makes the sudden presence of advertising feel like a betrayal of its audience. The change, subtle as it may seem, represents a violation of what makes RedZone unique. IX (aka Twitter) has been full of backlash, with fans accusing the NFL of putting profit over the integrity of the service.
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The Tweet may have been deleted
The Tweet may have been deleted
While the NFL has yet to confirm if this is a permanent change, fans shouldn’t hold their breath for a return to non-commercial football.
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