Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions Becomes a Media Powerhouse
The Hall of Fame quarterback has built an empire valued at more than $400 million with programming for ESPN, documentaries for Netflix and commercials for big brands.
Manning on the set of Monday Night Football With Peyton and Eli, also known as the Manningcast.
Photographer: Kelly Backus/ESPN Images
Josh Pyatt and Jamie Horowitz flew to Denver in September 2020 armed with a pitch deck and a prayer. Pyatt, an agent at talent firm WME, had helped basketball stars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant build their respective media companies, SpringHill and Granity. Horowitz, a former executive at ESPN and Fox who’s since landed at World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., had demonstrated an eye for talent in nurturing the careers of sports commentators Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless. Both saw potential in Peyton Manning, a generational performer on the football field and a popular spokesperson off it.
But first they had to persuade Manning to start a company. “From what everyone had told me, he wasn’t interested,” Pyatt says. Manning had retired from football in 2016 with no plan. After living season to season his entire career, he wanted to take some time before deciding what to do next. He knew he didn’t want to coach and had rejected many requests to go into broadcasting. And after years of traveling, he wanted to spend more time at home with his family.