# How does NFL RedZone make money? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 12, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522 "2010-09-12T17:31:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/1 "2010-09-12T17:31:04Z")
It’s a great channel for NFL fans- but there’s no commercials. It must require a significant staff to switch between all the games at all the right moments. So how does it earn money? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/2 "2010-09-13T01:33:27Z")
It appears to be offered as a subscription service or possibly part of a package on cable or similar TV services which you get charged for. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/3 "2010-09-13T04:43:15Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > So how does it earn money? Through subscription fees. It costs $40 for the season through most cable providers. Not sure what the mobile versions cost. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/4 "2010-09-13T06:12:24Z")
The only one that matters is live video, which isn’t available in the US. Anything that is delayed, sound only, or repeats is essentially worthless. Therefore, they make pure profit on any money they take on replays. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/5 "2010-09-13T18:02:23Z")
NFL Redzone is a premium digital channel on Comcast. I have not signed up for it, as the NFL Network is a basic digital channel. I really have another, but related question. I believe, from the OP that this channel allows the viewer to see all the NFL games being played. If so, how is it done? Do you just click on any active game list or do you initially select a team? If it’s only $40 for the season, I may subscribe as we don’t get many Bear games here in SC. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/6 "2010-09-13T18:39:00Z")
NFL Redzone shows every touchdown and a lot of red zone plays. You do not select a team - you get every team’s touchdowns moments after they happen. It is a premium channel for Comcast and is part of DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket. It is Sunday Ticket that allows you to watch every NFL game live with the exception of those being shown on your local channels at the time in which case, the smarter sat boxes will flip to the local channel for you. For example, at 1PM yesterday, there were 8 games starting. They are all presented to you in a 4x2 grid in real time and you can move the ‘cursor’ over each one to hear the sound just from that game. If you select that game with the appropriate remote button, you see it full size. It’s bloody nifty! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/7 "2010-09-13T18:56:50Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > NFL Redzone is a premium digital channel on Comcast. I have not signed up for it, as the NFL Network is a basic digital channel. I really have another, but related question. I believe, from the OP that this channel allows the viewer to see all the NFL games being played. If so, how is it done? You see a live (or slightly tape-delayed) cut to every game being played in which a team is in the red zone. Pretty simple, really. The “slightly tape-delayed” part arises when you have more than one game being played in which more than one team is in the red zone. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/8 "2010-09-13T19:21:23Z")
Moving to The Game Room from GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/9 "2010-09-13T19:30:34Z")
Ah, it’s a separate channel. They used to use the Red Zone name for something else. So, if you get it, you pay extra like for HBO. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/10 "2010-09-13T20:35:56Z")
Exactly, Superhal. It’s one channel, and it really only broadcasts from 1pm ET - 7:30 or so ET (while there are Sunday afternoon games running). It makes its money the same way that any other no-commercial cable channel (such as HBO) does, through the fees it charges to cable companies to carry it (which are then passed along to customers as subscription fees). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/11 "2010-09-14T02:43:52Z")
Besides die hard fantasy players, who watches this channel? I can see how it might work in a sports bar, a casino, or at NFL stadiums. But at home, this would probably drive me crazy, like some mad person with a remote constantly changing the channel. I play 10 fantasy football teams, but I monitor what’s going on with the live scoring from ESPN/Yahoo stattrackers. I"m watch a full NFL game on my tv at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/12 "2010-09-14T03:05:26Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Besides die hard fantasy players, who watches this channel? I’ll sometimes turn it on if there isn’t a game on in which I’m particularly interested. Or, if the Packer game isn’t being televised here in Chicago, I’ll usually be following that game’s progress on [NFL.com](http://NFL.com), and I’ll switch on RedZone when the Packers get into scoring position. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/13 "2010-09-15T02:11:24Z")
I adore the Red Zone channel. I get to see the important parts of every game. Since my favorite NFL team sucks, but I love football in general, the RZC is perfect for me. I can keep posted on my Bills, but actually see all the other fun stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-nfl-redzone-make-money/553522/14 "2010-09-15T03:59:18Z")
Seems Red Zone will be available free to DC-area Comcast customers this weekend.