Earlier this week, it was reported by Scott Hanson, the longtime host of NFL RedZone, that the beloved whip-around product would feature commercials in 2025. And while countless fans are understandably angry about this, FS1’s Nick Wright isn’t as bothered due to the fact that he believes football shouldn’t primarily be consumed via NFL RedZone in the first place.
Contrary to Pat McAfee’s stance that NFL fans don’t care about the commercials returning to NFL RedZone after briefly debuting commercials on the product last season, there are quite a few who believe that the commercials could further expand in future years and take away the great elements of the product to begin with.
At the moment, the demise of RedZone seems to be incredibly over-exaggerated, as there will only be four 15-second ads that won’t truly take viewers away from the game, as there will be a split-screen with game action still occurring on half of the screen while the ads run.
Regardless, Nick Wright seems tired of hearing the narratives about RedZone, explaining how he believes he and other “self-respecting NFL fans” largely watch full games instead of RedZone as a primary source of football content to begin with.
“It is time that we start watching the NFL like adults,” said Wright on Thursday’s edition of First Things First. “So, here is the misinformation. There are going to be a few commercials on RedZone this year. People are blaming ESPN. Listen, I’m not above taking shots at the competition. This ain’t on them, though. They don’t own it yet. They haven’t taken it over yet. And by the way, if you were paying attention to RedZone last year, they already did this. There were commercials on RedZone a couple of weekends last year. Are we going to miss any of the game? No, they are just going to go split screen four times for 15 seconds each and show you a Burger King ad while you are watching the game split screen. That’s it. That’s all that’s going to happen.
“And honestly, we’ve been spoiled by having RedZone as we have had it the last 20 years, anyway, so everyone quit whining. But that’s not really the take. The take is this. And this is controversial. But in my bones, everyone knows I am right. You cannot be a self-respecting, diehard NFL fan if the only way you consume football is through RedZone. Watch a whole game like an adult. Second screen supplementary on your computer? Fine, but don’t tell me you love the NBA. ‘What game did you watch last night?’ ‘Oh, just Bleacher Report’s feed, saw some highlights.’ You don’t learn anything. You don’t know anything.
“And sports media, you can’t cover the league if you are just watching RedZone. We’ve got the learn how a team matriculated the ball down the field. Not just the candy of the touchdowns and the turnovers and the punt returns. So, if you’re a true football fan, throw on a full game, have RedZone as a secondary. Whether it is on your phone, computer screen, if you have a multi-TV setup, that’s fine. And if you are just a casual fan following fantasy, no problem. But don’t try and get into football arguments or football discussions if you haven’t seen a team run a 2nd and 13 from their own 20-yard line in 30 years.”
“You cannot be a self-respected die-hard NFL fan if the only way you consume football is through RedZone. Watch a whole game like an adult!” – Nick Wright pic.twitter.com/ttj7Y8nFn5
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 4, 2025
It’s certainly a fair argument that media members in particular should not be solely relying on RedZone to cover the NFL nationally. And in a sense, Wright’s argument that anyone solely relying on RedZone doesn’t get the entire picture of an NFL game is an accurate one.
However, for the average fan, especially those with a rooting interest in multiple games around the NFL, any given Sunday, for one reason or another, RedZone is undoubtedly an incredibly useful way to consume the NFL.
Whether Wright likes it or not, RedZone will likely be as highly consumed as ever this coming season, despite the commercials, even if those who tune in aren’t “self-respecting fans” in his eyes.