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NFL RedZone & the Culture of Instant Sports Gratification
A show that displays both the positive and negative aspects of the modern realities of viewing sports
Every fall, over 5 million households in America sit down on Sunday afternoons and smile as they hear the voice of Scott Hanson say, “and now let’s enjoy 7 hours of commercial-free football”. NFL RedZone, the weekly program that Hanson hosts during the NFL regular season, has a fiercely loyal following. The premise of the show is simple, to show key moments of every game on Sunday with the promise of every touchdown being shown, even the ones that happen during blowouts.
The subcultural phenomenon of RedZone has always lent itself to other shows using a similar format (such MLB Big Inning and NHL Frozen Frenzy), but none have been as prominent as Gold Zone, NBC’s RedZone style whiparound show that has showcased the Olympics this summer in France which is also hosted by Scott Hanson. The NBA is preparing to expand its own RedZone-style offering, named CrunchTime, to more time slots in the upcoming season. The push to mimic RedZone goes far beyond the emulation of success, it tells us a lot about our priorities and preferences as sports fans in the modern era.
