Since the news broke that ESPN had struck a major media deal with the NFL — including acquiring the rights to the iconic RedZone brand — a wave of anxiety hit football fans. The big concern among them was that ESPN taking control of NFL RedZone would ruin the very thing that made it special.
Roger Goodell says that won’t happen.
Speaking on SportsCenter on Wednesday, Goodell made it clear the RedZone fans know and love isn’t going anywhere.
“It’ll continue to be the NFL RedZone. I don’t think fans will see any difference in that,” Goodell said plainly.
@espn #NFL commissioner #RogerGoodell assures fans that #NFLRedzone will be the same experience you know and love 🤩 #football ♬ original sound – ESPN
And while that reassurance might not have been entirely necessary, it does matter. NFL RedZone has become one of the most beloved products in sports broadcasting — a streamlined, commercial-free, whip-smart product that has redefined how football is consumed.
As detailed in Awful Announcing’s coverage, ESPN didn’t acquire control of the RedZone broadcast itself. What it bought was the brand. And that now gives ESPN room to utilize the RedZone concept for other sports, such as college football or the NBA. The core NFL RedZone show, hosted by Scott Hanson and produced by NFL Media, stays exactly where it is.
Goodell even emphasized that production will remain “in the building,” which speaks to the league’s desire to keep tight control over what RedZone is and how it’s made. That should ease any concerns that ESPN might insert more commercials, add unnecessary content, or dilute the experience in any way.
Predicting the downfall of RedZone under ESPN has become a popular social media trend, with countless engagement-seekers posting their own versions across every platform that thrives on clicks and shares (as you can see below).
NFL RedZone NFL RedZone
before ESPN: after ESPN: pic.twitter.com/1Ebn7e2led
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) August 6, 2025
@guyinthechairreacts WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS TO US?!?!? #fyp #nfl #nflredzone #espn #scotthanson ♬ original sound – Guy in the Chair Reacts:
So no, this isn’t a hostile takeover. NFL RedZone will remain the same under the NFL’s continued production arm. Perhaps ESPN could develop some type of RedZone-style programming for other sports. College football fans have been clamoring for a whip-around show for years, and dabbled a bit with the concept in 2023 with Pat McAfee. But that effort was under the name CFB Primetime, which doesn’t resonate as well as the RedZone brand sports fans are familiar with. Now that door is open.
“I think that could be an exciting thing for our fans also to see a RedZone, maybe in college football or other sports,” Goodell added.
So if you were panicking that ESPN was about to mess with RedZone, don’t. The Sunday staple seems unlikely to change despite rumors of the sky falling on Scott Hanson’s tiny desk.