NFL Increases RedZone Commercials After Limited-Ad Promise
Week 7 brought reports of far more spots, signaling a shift from the channel’s longtime commercial‑free identity.
Overview
- Sunday’s Week 7 RedZone broadcast carried noticeably more commercials than earlier this season, according to Pro Football Talk and viewer accounts.
- The NFL had presented the change as minimal, saying the show would feature about four 15‑second ads across the seven‑hour window.
- Paying viewers expressed frustration over the expansion, and host Scott Hanson no longer opens by promising “seven hours of commercial‑free football.”
- Social posts cited as many as 10 ads during the latest broadcast, with several appearing in split‑screen or wrap‑around formats.
- Coverage notes ads were tested in 2024 and made permanent this season, and reporting indicates ESPN could assume operations as early as 2026.