ESPN has been searching for years for a hit broadcast booth for Monday Night Football, and while they still may be searching for that, they have absolutely found a winner with their Manningcast alternative broadcast on ESPN2. Some good news for fans is that the Manningcast is going to continue through the 2024 season during Monday Night Football, but that won’t be all.
After signing a deal with Peyton and Eli Manning to have them do 10 broadcasts this season in which they sat on couches at home, talked ball, and had guests come on for interviews, Disney was clearly looking for a way to replicate that in other areas. However, a big part of the appeal of the Manningcast is, specifically, that it is the Mannings, not just any pair of former players, and that has been the stumbling block for just about every discussion about how to create a copycat broadcast in other sports. Few players are as well known as the Mannings and make viewers want to watch them talk about anything and everything, and it appears Disney and ESPN have come to that recognition themselves.
To help find those personalities, ESPN has worked out a new expanded deal with Peyton, Eli, and Omaha Productions that will keep the Mannings on a 10-game Monday Night Football schedule through 2024, but also have them produce alternative broadcasts for UFC fights, golf, and college football — with other hosts in the Manning roles.
The extension will add a fourth year (through 2024 season) for Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, featuring a 10-game annual slate of alternative productions to ESPN’s traditional Monday Night Football telecast. Additionally, the agreement calls for alternative presentations (with other hosts) for UFC, college football and golf to be produced by Omaha Productions in collaboration with ESPN.
For each of those sport categories, there will be multiple events per year showcasing alternative viewing options. For college football, the commitment will be comprised of regular-season and post-season matchups, including the College Football Playoff National Championship. For golf and UFC, select events will be included annually. Hosts for each sport will be named at a future date.
Initial reports suggested it would be Peyton and Eli doing UFC events, which would’ve been fascinating to see, but seeking out hosts more familiar with those sports is probably the smart move. The most consistent strength of the Manningcast is their insight into the game of football and how easily they break down the game in a smart, digestible manner. However, finding athletes from the world of UFC, golf, and college football with the same cache will be tough, but having Peyton and Eli running the show might intrigue bigger names to hop on board.