ESPN recently solidified its relationship with Omaha Productions, co-founded by former ESPN and Fox Sports executive Jamie Horowitz and NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, through a new nine-year extension.
ESPN has been collaborating with Omaha since 2021, producing programs like the Sports Emmy-winning ManningCast, Peyton’s Places Eli’s Places and additional content that airs across its networks and streaming platform, ESPN+.
With the recent deal, ESPN has demonstrated its faith in Omaha Productions by renewing their partnership through 2033. This announcement promises the continuation and expansion of Omaha Productions’ unique contributions to sports media.
ESPN Plays the Long Game With Omaha Productions
It’s no surprise that ESPN wants to lock down Omaha Productions as a partner. Omaha has shown a consistent ability to engage sports fans across demographics. Shows like ManningCast have even attracted coveted younger demographics, ushering new fans to sports entertainment.
Omaha Productions is also creating top-notch sports docuseries during a period when the genre is booming. Programs like Netflix’s Quarterback accumulated tens of millions of hours of view time and shot to No. 1 on Netflix soon after its July 2023 debut.
Omaha has multiple docuseries lined up for release in 2024, including Full Court Press, an NCAA women’s basketball docuseries featuring former Iowa Hawkeye Caitlin Clark, and Receiver, a follow-up to Quarterback featuring five NFL wide receivers and tight ends.
It’s clear to the execs at ESPN that Omaha Productions is at the cutting edge of what sports fans want today. It’s also apparent that Omaha has the capacity and expertise to produce relevant content quickly despite rapidly changing viewer preferences in today’s social media age.
For example, Omaha Productions’ Full Court Press, which documents the journeys of three NCAA women’s basketball players during the 2023-24 season, began airing just one month after the NCAA Championship game. This is especially impressive considering two of the show’s three subjects — Caitlin Clark and Kamilla Cardoso — played in the final.
Also worth noting is Omaha Productions’ unrivaled access to today’s biggest names in sports. In just the past three years, Omaha has produced content with two-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes, former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, top NFL wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown, record-shattering Iowa Hawkeye Clark, and recent NCAA women’s basketball champ Cardoso.
Omaha Productions has also announced collaborations with LeBron James and several other NBA stars for a future docuseries.
Not to mention, partnering with Omaha Productions secures ESPN’s access to two of the most beloved sports legends of all time, brothers Peyton and Eli Manning.
In fact, at the heart of this extended partnership is a commitment to continue producing ManningCast, the alternative Monday Night Football broadcast featuring Peyton and Eli.
Since its inception in 2021, ManningCast has disrupted traditional sports broadcasting by combining in-depth game analysis with celebrity interviews, all delivered in the Manning brothers’ charismatic style and earning Omaha Productions a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Live Series in 2022.
With ESPN and Disney holding NFL rights through the 2032-33 season, the continuation of ManningCast was a strategic move, ensuring that this fan-favorite program remains a staple on Monday nights.
Jamie Horowitz and Peyton Manning Leverage Star Power at Omaha Productions
Omaha Productions’ accomplishments are embodied by its co-founders, Jamie Horowitz and Peyton Manning. Both men have a long history working with ESPN (Jamie Horowitz was an executive at the network for many years), which made the extension of their partnership easier.
Jamie Horowitz has often been called the father of modern sports talk shows. He’s the mind behind some of the most iconic talk programs of the past 20 years, including First Take, Undisputed, Numbers Never Lie, and SportsNation.
He’s also been instrumental in advancing the careers of today’s biggest sports media personalities, such as Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, and Colin Cowherd. Many sports talk shows today seek to imitate Horowitz’s style of debate-driven content.
Jamie Horowitz has been instrumental in the success of Omaha Productions, where he continues to pioneer sports programming as the company’s president. Under his creative direction, Omaha has launched successful series like ManningCast and consistently pushed the boundaries of traditional sports broadcasting.
Peyton Manning’s involvement in Omaha Productions goes beyond his on-screen presence (though his ability to authentically connect with fans and guests has been a hallmark of Omaha’s programs). Manning doesn’t just understand sports — he understands athletes.
As a result, he’s able to connect with top athletes who would likely not agree to collaborate with anyone else. Much of Omaha’s unprecedented access to trending sports stars can be attributed to Manning and the immense respect he has garnered in the athletic community.
Aside from athletes, Manning also commands respect from major sports leagues, networks, and streamers, which has helped grow the demand for Omaha Productions’ content.
Omaha Productions Drives the Future of Sports Media
ESPN continues to bet on Omaha Productions as a driving force in the future of sports media. Based on Omaha’s stellar performance over the past few years, ESPN made a wise choice. Since its founding in late 2020, Omaha’s value has skyrocketed to nearly half a billion dollars.
And, it’s built lucrative partnerships with Netflix, Prime, History, and the NFL. ESPN sealed this deal just in time to capitalize on Omaha Production’s potential as a new leader in sports entertainment.
However, the real winners in this deal are the viewers. Fans can expect more of their favorite programs and docuseries from Omaha Productions, such as ManningCast and Peyton’s Places. Jamie Horowitz and Peyton Manning are also hard at work developing innovative new content, and thanks to this landmark deal, they will be able to channel even more resources into these exciting projects.
