ESPN could bring RedZone to College Football

The big news in the sports media world today is ESPN’s acquisition of the NFL Network and the league’s other media assets in exchange for a 10% equity stake in ESPN. Included in those assets is NFL RedZone, the popular channel that whips around the league on Sundays, showing every play happening between the 20-yard line and the endzone. If you’ve ever dreamt of having a college football equivalent, brace yourself, because it could be coming soon.

In an interview on SportsCenter, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell teased a potential college football RedZone now that ESPN owns the rights. He also assured fans that NFL RedZone will remain the same.

“It’ll continue to be produced right here in this building,” Goodell said of RedZone from the NFL Network studios in Los Angeles. “It will be the NFL RedZone. I don’t think fans will see any difference in that.

“Obviously, in the context of that, though, ESPN purchased the RedZone name, and they will be able to utilize that for other sports, college football, and other things, and I think that could be an exciting thing for our fans also to see a RedZone, maybe in college football or other sports. That’s something that they now own and have the ability to do that. But as far as Red Zone, NFL Red Zone, there won’t be any changes for our plans.”

A college football RedZone would be especially exciting for SEC football fans, as ESPN already owns the conference’s media rights. Even the Saturday afternoon network games are now aired on ABC, which is part of the Walt Disney Company family alongside ESPN, instead of CBS. As ESPN prepares to launch its new streaming service later this month, a college football RedZone would be an enticing addition to the lineup, which includes all seven ESPN linear networks in addition to ESPN on ABC and several other streaming options.

Incorporating other conferences’ games could get tricky due to media rights. The Big Ten only has deals with Fox, CBS, NBC, and the Big Ten Network, while the rest of the Power Four conferences have deals that include ESPN. For SEC football, it should be as simple as copying NFL RedZone’s format and finding a host (please no Pat McAfee).

Maybe the network could convince Scott Hanson to give up his Saturdays? RedZone’s host confirmed on social media last night that he will continue to drive the ship on Sundays and is “optimistic” about the ESPN and NFL partnership. Phew.