5 days ago
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The NFL made a major and much-derided change to RedZone Channel when it added commercials to what had long been celebrated as "Seven hours of commercial-free football." But one thing is not changing any time soon: Scott Hanson will remain the host.
That's the word from Hanson himself, who says he will be back as RedZone host for the 2026 season.
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As Hanson signed off on the 2025 season on Sunday, he sounded emotional, and that led to some viewers thinking he was saying goodbye for good. Hanson responded to a question from a viewer, however, by posting on social media that he'll be back for the first Sunday of the 2026 season.
"I just got caught up in the moment. Hit me right that second," Hanson wrote. "All the hard work and sacrifice from our crew. I’ll be back - and we will see you in September!! Enjoy the playoffs."
There are good reasons to question the future of RedZone Channel. The NFL and Disney are in the process of seeking regulatory approval to fold NFL Media into ESPN, in exchange for the NFL becoming a 10 percent owner of ESPN. That means NFL Media will have a new owner that might have new ideas about what to do with RedZone Channel.
And now that the NFL has added commercials to RedZone Channel, it's likely that some fans will decide not to subscribe next season — and that the NFL will seek to recoup the lost revenue from fewer subscribers by adding even more commercials. That could begin the death spiral of the product.
So no one really knows what the future holds for RedZone Channel. But Hanson says it has a future, and he will be a part of it.
English (US) ·