When thinking about NFL RedZone, one of the first things to come to mind is that it’s one of the few broadcasts in the nation that promises a commercial-free environment for seven consecutive hours. However, in Week 15 of the 2024 season, fans noticed something unusual during the NFL RedZone broadcast: Ads.
NFL fans didn’t hide their feelings about the change, and the league took notice of the backlash. With that, their decision to run ads on NFL RedZone isn’t expected until 2025, per Jacob Feldman of Sportico.
“The NFL does not currently have plans to test the ads again, according to someone with direct knowledge of the league’s thinking,” Feldman wrote. “Any permanent change would only be considered for the 2025 season, at the earliest.”
So, while a change could be on the horizon for NFL RedZone, it doesn’t appear to be happening anymore in 2024. The earliest reported timetable for this roll-out would be in 2025, giving fans some time to get used to the potential change.
With that, it’s safe to say fans weren’t pleased when they saw a Gatorade ad during their seven hours of commercial-free football.
NFL RedZone faces fan backlash after proposed ad campaign
Considering how many ads get rammed into any given consumer’s brain over the course of a day, NFL fans felt safe in the confines of Scott Hanson’s broadcast each Sunday. With him, no commercials could get to them. The seven hours of commercial-free football allowed fans to unwind and not have to worry about hearing Burger King’s newest hit jingle.
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However, fans could be forced to deal with ads during NFL RedZone, starting as early as the 2025 season.
It’s not an overly surprising move, as the NFL is a business at the end of the day. And once sports betting became something marketed to fans by the league, it appeared that the NFL had no intentions of keeping RedZone advertisement-free forever.
The amount of money they’re likely missing out on is substantial, which probably sparked the desire for change.
But, with NFL fans ready to fight for their right to keep RedZone commercial-free, the league won’t make any changes until the 2025 season, at the earliest.
