We’ve recently pointed out that the Patriots and the Ravens will be broadcasting in their stadiums this season NFL RedZone, the channel that offers look-ins to and highlights from every Sunday afternoon game in real time. We’ve since been informed that the 49ers will have it as well.
Thanks to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal, we won’t have to do 29 other posts on the subject. Kaplan reports that the league will replace NFL Films highlights with a feed of RedZone.
That said, it will be up to the teams to decide the manner in which the content will be displayed. “The clubs are in control of the programming,” NFL executive V.P. Eric Grubman told Kaplan. “They can make the decision.”
So maybe we’ll have 29 other posts, after all. Since we’re entering the sssslow period, I’m not complaining about that.
In San Francisco, RedZone will be shown prior to the game and at various points during the game. Since most of the team’s Sunday games will be played at 1:00 ET local time, it means that fans will have an incentive to arrive early -- they’ll be able to watch from their seats the final quarter or so of the early games.
But things could get interesting as to the Niners games that begin at 4:05 p.m. ET, as opposed to 4:15 p.m. ET. There’s a chance that fans at Candlestick Park will experience a Heidi-style moment if RedZone goes dark during a key moment of a game that is finishing in compelling fashion in order to accommodate the kickoff of the game that the fans have paid to see.
UPDATE: We’re told the Raiders will be showing RedZone in their stadium, too.