Scott Hanson says RedZone was one of the more “complex” portions of the ESPN-NFL deal approved earlier this year. The longtime host revealed how close production rights came to changing hands.
What We Know: Hanson has hosted NFL RedZone since 2009. He remains the show’s face after the ESPN-NFL agreement closed earlier this year. ESPN now handles linear distribution, but the NFL retains production. Hanson confirmed the show will look and sound the same, with him still in the chair. However, during an interview with Front Office Sports, Hanson says that the RedZone portion of the agreement came to be one of the more complex portions of the agreement itself.
What They Said: (All quotes via Front Office Sports):
Scott Hanson on the complexity of the NFL RedZone portion of the ESPN, NFL deal done earlier this year: “The NFL executives who did the deal with the merger with Disney told me the RedZone component of the Disney NFL media deal, was one of the most complex portions of the deal. Because I think ESPN rightly wanted to own and operate and produce RedZone outright. Because of the galactic popularity of the show. But the NFL, for their reasons, wanted to retain control of the production of RedZone. They met in the middle.”
Scott Hanson ESPN can share any ideas they may have for production of NFL RedZone: “It’s basically going to be distributed linearly by ESPN, but the NFL will still be producing NFL RedZone. It’ll still look the same, sound the same, same host, same promise to the audience. But if the folks at Disney and the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN, if they have some great ideas as to how to make the show even better, they undoubtedly will have a voice in the room as well.”
What Remains Unclear: If any influence from ESPN could affect production models of the RedZone product this season. Also, Hanson notes commercial loads this year will not increase. However, he stopped short at confirming if that will change throughout the year.
What It Means: The deal shows both sides value stability over disruption. ESPN gains distribution muscle without touching a fan favorite. The NFL protects a product it built from scratch. Ultimately, Hanson’s portrayal of the RedZone discussions between the ESPN and the NFL paint a picture of its popularity with fanbases. Now, we’ll see if ESPN and the NFL does work in tow with each other to improve the product throughout the season.
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