ESPN’s pursuit of Peyton Manning to be a part of “Monday Night Football” has paid off … albeit in an unorthodox manner that no one could have predicted. Not only has the Hall of Fame quarterback made the most of a forum where he doesn’t have to worry about jockeying for time in a three-man booth, but he also has brought his brother Eli along for the ride. The Manningcast — or as ESPN calls it “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” — has drawn rave reviews, along with plenty of viewers. The five Manningcasts on ESPN2 are averaging 1.59 million viewers. The most recent one, the Nov. 1 game between the New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs, averaged 1.96 million, which is the largest audience ever for an ESPN alternate telecast. “The interesting thing is they are doing it on their terms,” said Neal Pilson, the former president of CBS Sports who now runs his own sports television consulting company. “Many thought they would be good analysts, but this has gone probably better than some people anticipated.” The Mannings’ foray into broadcasting has been the top story in what has been a strong first half of the season for the NFL on TV. Games are averaging 16.4 million TV and digital viewers, which is the highest average through Week 9 since 2015 and up 9% over last year. It is also a 2% gain over 2019. It was expected that the audience would increase after last season was played in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, with empty stadiums presenting a strange viewing dynamic, and many people’s viewing habits changing. The first half of the season also occurred in the midst of a presidential campaign, when some were watching cable news channels. “The response from teammates, fans, and the league has been really cool,” Eli Manning said. “The show is fun because I am doing what I love. I spent my entire childhood watching football alongside Peyton, so we’ve had some practice at this. “We’re trying to educate fans when we can, but mostly we’re just trying to entertain them and enjoy the game.” The Manningcast is a partnership between ESPN and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions. This is the first of a three-year deal for them to do 10 games per season. It resumes this week when the Los Angeles Rams visit the San Francisco 49ers along with the Nov. 22 game between the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While some would like to see it extend to a full season, the current setup benefits all parties. ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro got to achieve his goal of Peyton Manning becoming a part of “Monday Night Football,” while both Mannings get to do it without having to go to the stadiums. Eli does it from his house in New Jersey and Peyton from a facility close to his place in Denver. Both Mannings have adjusted quickly to the flow of the game on television. After having a hard time getting in and out of breaks during the Sept. 13 opener between Baltimore and Las Vegas, the flow has been much improved. There was a possibility that there would have been a third person to serve as a host, but the rapport between the two brothers has eliminated any need for that. With five Manning games remaining, Fitting said the focus remains the same as if Peyton and Eli were on the practice field — improving each week.
ESPN’s pursuit of Peyton Manning to be a part of “Monday Night Football” has paid off … albeit in an unorthodox manner that no one could have predicted.
