ESPN and Omaha Productions launched ManningCast in 2021, with the simulcast of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning providing analysis for Monday Night Football games to be a smash hit. While it’s now one of Disney’s biggest investments in NFL coverage, the ManningCast is no longer what fans originally loved about it.
The first-year success led to Disney doubling down on its commitment to the show, paying Eli and Peyton Manning around $12-$18 million per season. While it’s less than what ESPN pays Troy Aikman and Joe Buck for the primary MNF broadcast, the concern is what’s happened to viewership this season.
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As Pro Football Talk reported in early November, the ManningCast for the 2023 NFL season is barely averaging over 1 million average viewers per broadcast and it’s steadily dropped even further. While ESPN likely knew it wouldn’t replicate the numbers from the debut season, its secondary broadcast of MNF is now really starting to drop off.
ManningCast viewership by year
- 2022: 1.375 million avg. viewers
- 2021: 1.578 million avg. viewers
Here are a few things ESPN and the Mannings can do to improve the ManningCast.
ManningCast must cut down on the celebrity guests
What first made the ManningCast so successful and popular in 2021 was the fact that fans got to listen to two Hall of Fame quarterbacks discuss what they were seeing during the game. It was the equivalent of having two Tony Romos in the booth, only Peyton and Eli Manning brought more personality and didn’t focus so much on trying to predict plays.
More celebrities were slowly brought on as guests more gradually. Now, at least one household name with minimal ties to sports is brought on to take over the show. One problem with this, is celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel, Tiffany Hadish, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Ferrell and John McEnroe are used to being the centers of attention. As a result, they take attention away from the very game fans want to see and become a distraction for the audience.
ESPN isn’t pulling in non-sports fans to hear Peyton and Eli interview their favorite celebrity during an NFL game. Likewise, the football fans who tune in for the ManningCast are looking for something lighter and more entertaining than Buck and Aikman, but they also aren’t turning on Monday Night Football only to have the screen showing the game shrunk down while a random celebrity answers pointless questions.
ESPN and the Mannings need to know their audience, which means cutting back on celebrity guests. At the very least, don’t have quests on in the fourth quarter and limit those brought on to people who can either bring great perspective to the game or bring humor while at least showing they’ve paid any attention to what’s happening.
Put Peyton and Eli together for marquee games
One of the biggest reasons why Peyton and Eli Manning are doing this, besides the money, is due to the convenience. They can each stream from their home-based studios in Denver (Peyton) and New Jersey (Eli). It’s the perfect set-up for the two analysts, allowing them to avoid traveling for every game like other broadcasters.
However, even for two brothers, being separated physically and communicating through video calls takes away from the experience for the audience. There is more chemistry and a better flow when broadcasters are side-by-side, not only responding to one another’s commentary but picking up on facial expressions and physical reactions. That’s one thing missing from the ManningCast.
Obviously, Peyton and Eli don’t want to drastically change the way things are being done. The moment ESPN allowed them to do this virtually, it meant there would likely never be a season of the ManningCast where they were in-person. In 2024, a small change can be made. Eli and Peyton can be together for ESPN’s biggest Monday Night Football games of the year, like the Week 12 Eagles vs Chiefs matchup, the season opener and especially Wild Card Weekend. It doesn’t have to be done more than once per month, but it’ll make those broadcasters better and that creates a more enjoyable experience for the audience, leading to higher TV ratings.
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Make the Manning Cast informative entertainment
What drew NFL fans to the first season of the ManningCast was the experience of learning from Peyton and Eli as they broke the game down and then immediately rolled their eyes at a dumbfounding decision by a player and coach. The Mannings are more than capable of making this entertaining on their own.
Peyton’s Saturday Night Live skits demonstrate that he can work in jokes and be funny enough times to keep the audience entertained. Furthermore, the nature of two competitive brothers poking fun at one another and having fun at each other’s expense is entertaining for the audience and reminds us of our own families.
That’s all the ManningCast needs, outside of the occasional guest appearance or a celebrity who can handle improvisational humor and has a passion for football. Outside of that, the ManningCast is an opportunity for football fans who want to learn more about the game to be taught by legendary quarterbacks.
ESPN could even strengthen its simulcast, incorporating analytics like has been done for Thursday Night Football games and in some MLB broadcasts. The combination of the first-hand knowledge from Peyton and Eli paired with the usage of stats that are being talked about more on SportsCenter and NFL Live can create a well-rounded broadcast that makes the ManningCast an enjoyable, learning experience.