NFL RedZone is preparing to introduce a carefully structured advertising plan for the 2025 season, extending an initiative that was first tested last year. Following an appearance from RedZone host Scott Hanson on The Pat McAfee Show Wednesday, there was much speculation as to how the commercials would air during the over seven hour broadcast.
Barrett Media reached out for specifics on the plans for the new commercial insertion on the RedZone broadcast following the appearance by Hanson on ESPN.
According to the spokesperson, the plan calls for a limited number of advertisements strategically placed across the show’s more than seven hours of continuous football coverage each Sunday. The format will feature double-box ads, in which viewers will hear the commercial’s audio while simultaneously watching RedZone coverage in another frame.
That concept was introduced on a trial basis in 2024. The league conducted extensive testing through focus groups and social media monitoring. The result, according to an NFL spokesperson, showed extremely limited negative feedback.
Encouraged by those findings, the league believes it has found a balance that allows for increased sponsor visibility while still delivering the uninterrupted action that has made RedZone a must-watch product for fans.
Sponsors have long been a core component of the broadcast. For more than a decade, partnerships have played a role in making the channel possible. League officials emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relationships with advertisers while respecting the unique viewing experience RedZone promises.
For viewers, the expectation remains largely unchanged: wall-to-wall football coverage, whip-around highlights, and every touchdown from every game. The addition of double-box ads is meant to complement the format, not disrupt it. In fact, NFL executives stressed that the new approach has been contemplated and refined for more than a year.
That point is particularly relevant given recent headlines surrounding ESPN’s reported interest in deepening its partnership with the NFL. League officials clarified that the decision to expand advertising on RedZone is completely unrelated to any news with the league and ESPN. Furthermore, the NFL will continue to own and operate NFL RedZone even if a broader agreement with ESPN is finalized.
“The business folks handle the business and I have no say over different elements that could or could not be in the show,” Hanson told McAfee on Wednesday. He did reiterate that while commercials are coming, they were “not going to sacrifice” any of the football for the “business side of things.”
As the 2025 season approaches, NFL RedZone is betting that fans will continue to embrace a product that has become a fixture of the football calendar. By maintaining its emphasis on constant action while integrating sponsor support more seamlessly, the channel aims to reinforce its value proposition: every touchdown, every Sunday, with no need to change the channel.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
