The fledgling NFL Network's so-called "RedZone" channel — which provides instantaneous live HD coverage of any ongoing game on Sunday whenever one team penetrates the 20 yard line of their competitor — will pick up some huge carriage potential next month with its first two sign-ons for this season to include Comcast (the biggest TV service provider in the U.S.) and Dish Network.
NFL RedZone begins its season coverage at 1 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, Sept. 13.
DirecTV had provided a very similar service of honing in for live momentary coverage of any number of ongoing games last season (including reduced on-screen coverage of up to eight contests simultaneously), but no mention of DirecTV was made in this week's RedZone announcement by NFL Network.
The RedZone service is designed to complement regular, live play-by-play NFL coverage by the broadcast networks — primarily Fox and CBS. While only Comcast and Dish had signed on to RedZone as of Aug. 25, NFL Network said in a statement it was "in discussions with other distributors and look[s] forward to announcing more distribution deals…" in the near future.
The RedZone anchor desk will be at NFL Network's studios in Los Angeles.
