Red Zone Channel Critique

[HIT BY SPIKES]

I love all the boxes.

[nedboy7]

Red zone is gonna give me a seizure.  Way too much switching around. 

[sullim4]

My experience has been that anyone who liked the DTV version of Red Zone tends not to like the NFL Network-produced version with Scott Hanson.

 

This is a pretty good article comparing and contrasting the two: https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/there-is-a-clear-favorite-in-the-battle-of-the-nfl-redzone-channels.html

 

The tl/dr: NFL Red Zone "engineers" a bunch of drama by often claiming they are showing you "live" game feeds but in reality, they know what's going to happen and they're on a 1-2 minute tape delay.  Siciliano's DTV version always cut live to the action whenever possible.  They would show highlights of scoring plays that happened while they were away from a game, but call them exactly that - a replay.  If Hanson's channel misses a play, they cut to a "live" feed of the game that's really just a highlight of a touchdown that happened a minute or two ago.

[Bob Jones]

I regularly watch the RZ Channel, and my biggest gripe is when they show any plays from dumpster fire games! LOL For the most part though, I think they do a terrific job.

[WotAGuy]

I watched it for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed it especially late in the games. And I was watching on NFL Network + on my phone. I only watched it because the broadcast games were stinkers, so it filled a need.

[mannc]

My pet peeve is when they waste time showing extra points and chip shot FGs

[Matt_In_NH]

6 hours ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

Yeah, it is definitely not as good as it was when Andrew Siciliano was doing it. Now they just jump from game to game without explaining what is happening situationally, like he used to.

 

Plus, instead of being the red zone channel, it has become the let’s jump to every play of every game, regardless of where they are on the field, channel.

I was all ears when Siciliano was on there.

[LabattBlue]

1 hour ago, sullim4 said:

My experience has been that anyone who liked the DTV version of Red Zone tends not to like the NFL Network-produced version with Scott Hanson.

 

This is a pretty good article comparing and contrasting the two: https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/there-is-a-clear-favorite-in-the-battle-of-the-nfl-redzone-channels.html

 

The tl/dr: NFL Red Zone "engineers" a bunch of drama by often claiming they are showing you "live" game feeds but in reality, they know what's going to happen and they're on a 1-2 minute tape delay.  Siciliano's DTV version always cut live to the action whenever possible.  They would show highlights of scoring plays that happened while they were away from a game, but call them exactly that - a replay.  If Hanson's channel misses a play, they cut to a "live" feed of the game that's really just a highlight of a touchdown that happened a minute or two ago.

Unless you are staring at your phone while watching RZ, how would you know it is delayed by a minute or so.  To me…not a big deal. 

[sullim4]

4 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

Unless you are staring at your phone while watching RZ, how would you know it is delayed by a minute or so.  To me…not a big deal. 

 

I think that's the problem.  With fantasy as well as Sunday Ticket itself - at least I tend to be keeping track of more games.  I often find myself using my laptop to, say, participate in the game day thread here or in the "Around the NFL" chat on Sundays.  I often already know what's happened before the NFLN can rearrange the clip of the live feed.

 

It's not a huge deal, but IMO coming from the DirecTV broadcast, I preferred their way of doing it.  Perhaps the new way will grow on me, I dunno.

[LabattBlue]

New season, same BS.  Way too much unnecessary double box, triple box, quad box.  Sounds cool, reality…annoying.  
 

Just ruining a great concept. 
 

👎🏻
 

 

[Ned Flanders]

8 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

New season, same BS.  Way too much unnecessary double box, triple box, quad box.  Sounds cool, reality…annoying.  
 

Just ruining a great concept. 
 

👎🏻
 

 

Agree.  I was watching as some of the early games we're coming down the stretch yesterday and I thought the announcer was going to have a seizure (would hate to have heard him announce the Hindenburg disaster).  Just say where you're going and the let the game announcers take over.

[Warriorspikes51]

No Commercials makes up for minor shortcomings.  The channel is really outstanding overall 

But, yes I would prefer more full screen time.  As long as they show all the plays eventually 

For example, a 4th down play should be full screen instead of double box next to a field goal 

Edited September 16 by Warriorspikes51

[MJS]

Having multiple games on at once seems dumb to me. It's not like you can pay attention to more than one at a time. I'd rather they just hop around from one to the next.

 

But, I am not their target. I do not watch red zone. It is not the way I choose to consume football. I turn on one game and watch it, with all the highs and lows. I like to feel the pace and flow of the game and get a feel for the impact players down in and down out, and getting a feel for the schemes and game plan. I'm not as concerned with being up to date on all the big plays around the league. I watch highlight videos or the condensed version of games later, if they interest me.

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

New season, same BS.  Way too much unnecessary double box, triple box, quad box.  Sounds cool, reality…annoying.  
 

Just ruining a great concept. 
 

👎🏻
 

 

 

 

Reality:   It is, in fact, cool seeing more plays.   There are only like 13 minutes of action in a 3 hour NFL game so it's not like the snap is happening simultaneously in each game/box.  In triple box you can almost watch each game simultaneously and not miss any action which gives a much better feel for what's going on within each game.  In the rare case that I miss something important in one box, I scroll back 15 seconds and re-watch that box.   Think I did that twice yesterday.   

[Logic]

Generally speaking, I love Red Zone channel. Perfect for a day like yesterday when there is no one game that commands my attention, but there are aspects of each that are interesting to me. Also great for fantasy football purposes.

When a bunch of games are close at the end and Scott Hansen is jumping around to game-winning field goal attempts and dramatic endings all at once, it can make for pretty hectic and exciting TV, and it can make that early window of games into a much more exhilarating viewing experience than just watching one of them or, worse yet, reading the box scores.

I will agree that, at times, I wish for a little less quad box. Sometimes a really big, dramatic ending -- say, a game winning field goal attempt six minutes into overtime -- gets quad-boxed along with a less important or less compelling play, like a red zone passing attempt in a two score game. BUT, I have to bear in mind that not everyone's priorities and viewing interests are the same as my own. Due to things like different rooting interests and fantasy football and gambling, Red Zone has to try not to play favorites so much and to show everything equally. How I prioritize interest and importance may not be how others prioritize it.

Long story long, despite some imperfections and small annoyances at times, Red Zone remains an elite viewing experience. I wish it existed for college football.

[ALLinALLEN]

Watching redzone or sunday ticket makes it so prominent how many penalties are in games. I swear there's always at least 1 ref calling a penalty (or a flag down) on my screen at all times when doing the quad box. 

[mikemac2001]

It was nuts yesterday but I loved it with all the close early games 

[BADOLBILZ]

8 minutes ago, ALLinALLEN said:

Watching redzone or sunday ticket makes it so prominent how many penalties are in games. I swear there's always at least 1 ref calling a penalty (or a flag down) on my screen at all times when doing the quad box. 

 

It's just early in the season.   Refs are always flag-happy early trying to set the tone for what is supposed to be acceptable and then by the playoffs none of the sh!t is getting called.   

[QB Bills]

Redzone is great except for Scott Hansen constantly shouting over the game.

[LabattBlue]

The focus was initially great, and if there are no other games going on at any one moment, fine, show the game with the team having the ball at its own 20.   But when one game features a team in the RZ, and two other games with the ball further away, no need to triple box. 
 

Just too cutesy. 
 

Great concept(initially), poor execution(currently).