Scott Hanson stirred up a hornet’s nest Wednesday when he confirmed NFL RedZone would no longer be “commercial-free” following last season’s test run.
That news led to a mix of outrage, water-carrying, and explanations from all over the NFL world. In the end, the news that there will be just four 15-second commercials across RedZone’s seven hours on the first Sunday of the 2025 NFL season alleviated concerns, although many paying customers still view it as the canary in the eventual ad-free tier’s coalmine.
After several days full of blistering takes, Hanson took to social media to try to clarify exactly how things will work with RedZone this weekend. He started with his usual video in which he previews the Sunday ahead, though this time he commented on the anger and frustration voiced by many viewers over the commercial announcement.
24 hours until NFL RedZone… pic.twitter.com/pwzfrUCPVW
— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) September 6, 2025
“Hey, everybody. Been off social media for the last few days, but I wanted to say something here real quick before we kick off the new season,” said Hanson. “I want to start by saying thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you to those of you who make RedZone your Sunday routine. We’re going into Season 17, and the crew and I are as fired up as ever to bring you every countdown.
“I’m the host of the show. I put everything I’ve got into trying to be the best host I can possibly be for you. I want to make it fun, energetic, passionate, informative, entertaining. So that you love your football Sundays.
“As for the business side of things, I have no control over that. I have no say in the business side of things. I will say there is no one on the planet who wants to show you more football than I do. If there is someone, I would love to meet them, because we’d have something in common. As for the angst, frustration, anger, confusion over the last few days, I get it. I understand. I would simply say, I hope you’ll join us on Sunday and judge for yourself whether or not we are still what we’ve been, what’s been described as the greatest football show on TV. I hope you’ll join us and you can make that determination for yourself.
“The crew and I are going to focus on the football and the incredible men who play it and coach it and thrill us, entertain us, inspire us, and enrich our sporting lives for 18 straight Sundays. So thank you for listening to this. I hope to see you Sunday, and it’s great to be back to football.”
Additional clarity for those who care:
1. No one told me to post this.
2. The 4 total commercials tomorrow will be :15 seconds and in a double box, in between plays. *none* during the Witching Hour.
3. Adding commercials was not a @Disney @espn decision.
4. Opening…
— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) September 6, 2025
Hanson then followed that up with a quick breakdown of how things will work on Sunday, adding that “no one told me to post this.” He reiterated that the four commercials will be 15 seconds each and appear in a double box alongside the NFL action. None of the ads will run during the “Witching Hour,” which is roughly between 3 and 4 p.m. He also confirmed that neither Disney nor ESPN made the decision, as some inferred, given the impending NFL-ESPN partnership.
Hanson has done his very best to be straight with RedZone viewers. Overreactions were inevitable, and it remains to be seen how commercials and advertising on RedZone will evolve in the years to come. But for now, it will mostly be business as usual on Sunday, even if Hanson can no longer say it’s “commercial-free.”