As it continues to make inroads into sports media, Amazon reportedly has its eye on ESPN’s “Manningcast.”
Amazon is interested in acquiring the services of Peyton and Eli Manning once the brothers’ three-year deal with ESPN expires following the 2023 NFL season, Front Office Sports reported Friday. The news is not exactly a surprise, given Peyton has been in high demand by media outlets since his retirement. Amazon was reportedly in the mix for his services before he and his brother (and his production company Omaha Productions) signed with ESPN earlier this year.
News of Amazon’s interest in the Mannings comes as the company is seeking to expand its sporting footprint. The New York Post reported Friday that the company is in discussions with Embassy Row — the company behind NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” and other programming — to create studio programming that would include a fully daily line-up.
Amazon next season takes over exclusive rights to the NFL’s Thursday Night Football Package. It is also reportedly a contender to acquire up to a 49 percent stake in NFL Media and in the mix to acquire the NFL Sunday Ticket package.
ESPN’s “Manningcast” alternate presentations of Monday Night Football have been the talk of the industry this season, regularly exceeding one million viewers. While that is just a fraction of the total MNF audience, it is also an unusually high number of viewers for an alternate presentation of a sportscast.
The Mannings are in the first of a three year deal with ESPN to do 10 alternate presentations of MNF per year.
[News from Front Office Sports, NY Post]
