You won’t have to wait much longer if you missed hearing Scott Hanson grace your TV with his prowess on RedZone.
But there’s a twist.
Hanson has been trending recently, and while that has nothing to do with his RedZone gig or anything of that nature, he’ll be back in the spotlight before the start of the 2024 NFL season.
NBC announced in March that its Gold Zone whip-around show will return in 2024 on Peaco*ck. Hanson, Matt Iseman, and Akbar Gbajabiamila will join Andrew Siciliano, also of RedZone Channel fame, in the host chair. The show will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET daily throughout the Paris Games.
Hanson recently discussed this new role on the UNPACKIN’ it Podcast. He acknowledges the challenge of covering 39 sports, multiple disciplines, and thousands of athletes. But as a lifelong Olympics fan, he’s excited to delve into the stories and competitions.
“It’s a blessing. Gold Zone is coming to Peaco*ck at a television screen near you, starting late July,” he told host Bryce Johnson. “July 26 is the Opening Ceremonies in Paris. We’ll actually go on the air on the 27th, I believe. Gold Zone is exactly what you think it is. It is RedZone for the Olympics, and it is daunting, to be honest, my friend. Because 39 sports, multiple disciplines within those sports, 329 medal events, more than 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries and delegations.
“Pray for your boy because the prep work is daunting.”
Just like a lot of us at home, Hanson is a fan — that’s where his background in the Olympics is derived from. When the Olympics are on — summer or winter — Hanson watches every day that his schedule allows him to.
“Unless my schedule prohibits it, I want to consume it as a fan,” he said. “Hear those great stories from these athletes, who have worked their whole lives to reach this pinnacle and the most important moments of their sporting lives. I love the Olympics, the drama, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the competition between countries, and the pride that we feel as Americans, usually being one of, if not the top medal-winners on the medal count board.
“So, I’ve been a huge fan my whole life but never a broadcaster. And it’s not like I’m going to call play-by-play of the archery for 2 or 3 days. Gold Zone is 17 straight days of mixing and matching like we attempt to do on RedZone for the NFL. Mixing and matching the best of the Paris games, as it’s happening overseas to the audience here in the United States.
“It’s gonna be fun, but it’s gonna be a challenge.”
Hanson mentioned that NBC would prioritize events featuring prominent American athletes or events where the U.S. has a strong track record. His research materials even include a letter grading system, likely reflecting how well American athletes are expected to fare against the competition.
“One of the things about NBC Sports that I’ve learned and am learning in partnering with him on this is their people have been through — most of them — have been through multiple games, winter, and summer,” he says. “And they have a wealth of knowledge that is unlike anything in the world in terms of Olympic sports. And so, part of my research packets will go through a day-by-day schedule of what we anticipate will be the big stories, and they’ll assign a letter grade based on how they feel the Americans stack up against the world…
“It gives us a feel for what we expect as we broadcast to an American audience…But there could be something where it’s Turkey versus Cambodia for a gold medal, but there’s a story there to be told that is fascinating on a human level. And so, what I’ve asked my staff at NBC Sports is, ‘You guys are all going to use your wealth of knowledge to tap me on the shoulder when I need to pay attention. And I’m gonna tap the United States on its shoulder and say, ‘Hey, I need your attention over here at Water Polo, and here’s why.'”
Hanson did warn not to have all of your RedZone expectations, so there will be commercials. And, yes, Hanson will be able to take a bathroom break.
“You’ll still get some of those same dopamine hits that you get during the ‘Witching Hour’ on an NFL Sunday,” Hanson said. “You’re gonna have a handful of those on Gold Zone.”
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