TV Answer Man, I am interested in the new NFL Plus plan from the league but will it include the RedZone Channel? I know they’ve had the RedZone channel for a few years on the NFL mobile app so I would think it would be part of the new Plus plan on the app, too. Right? — Jerry, Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Jerry, before I explain what will happen with the RedZone channel on the NFL mobile app, a few words on NFL Plus.
The league last month launched NFL Plus, a paid mobile streaming service that essentially replaces the free features that were available on Verizon’s mobile packages. (Verizon’s deal with the league ended after the 2021 season.)
NFL Plus has two plans:
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1. Basic for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year. (Annual cost rises to $39.99 after current promotion.)
You get:
* Live out-of-market pre-season games across all devices.
* Live regular season or postseason games on your phone or tablet.
* Live primetime regular season or postseason games on your phone or tablet.
* Live game audio (home, away and national broadcasts) of every game.
* NFL library of on-demand programming.
That may sound intriguing but the regular season games consist of national games and regional games that are available in your local TV market. In other words, this is no Sunday Ticket. You basically get the local broadcasts that you could watch with an antenna or a pay TV package from a cable or satellite operator. And you have to pay $5 a month to get them, as opposed to an antenna which has free access to local channels.
Also worth noting: NFL+ regular season and postseason games will only be available on phones and tablets while preseason games will be available on mobiles, connected TVs and computers. That means you won’t be able to watch regular season games on NFL+ on your TV. And you won’t be able to use features such as Apple’s AirPlay to send the signal from your mobile to the TV. It’s phones and tablets only, folks.
2. NFL+ Premium for $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year.
You get:
* All NFL+ features plus full game replays (ad-free)
* Condensed game replays across all devices. (ad-free.)
* Coaches film (ad free)
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Now, how does the RedZone Channel fit in?
The NFL RedZone Channel, which offers live look-ins at pivotal moments during regular season games, has been available as a separate service on the NFL mobile app for a few years. With NFL+ now a prime attraction on that app, it’s reasonable to assume that the RedZone channel would be included with NFL+ as well.
Right?
Wrong.
I asked the NFL today if the league would continue offering the RedZone Channel as a separate service on the NFL app.
“NFL RedZone mobile (not tablet or connected TV) is available in the NFL app for $34.99 this season, same as it was last year,” said NFL spokesman Andrew Howard.
So if you want the RedZone and NFL+, you’ll have to pay for two separate subscriptions.
(As of this afternoon, the app does not include RedZone ordering but it will be added closer to the season. The league last year added it in the week leading up to the season’s first Sunday of regular season games.)
Note: You can’t use features such as Apple’s AirPlay to send the RedZone channel or NFL+ from your mobile to the TV during the regular season.
Jerry, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
