FORMER NFL QUARTERBACKS Peyton Manning and Eli Manning will team up to co-front ‘alternate’ Monday Night Football telecasts for the next three seasons on ESPN, the American broadcaster has confirmed.
ESPN will produce the brothers’ show, in which they will join an as-of-yet-unnamed anchor, in conjunction with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.
“Each Peyton and Eli-fronted MegaCast will be distributed on ESPN2, with potential for additional distribution on other Disney properties including ESPN+”, the broadcaster said in a statement, adding that the Manning brothers’ production would also be used to ‘complement’ Monday Night Football’s traditional telecast on ESPN and/or ABC. “Together, the two viewing options will expand the reach and audience of the historic NFL television franchise,” the statement continued.
“Offering multiple Monday Night Football viewing options for the next three seasons continues our innovation efforts and provides additional value for our fans,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN and Sports Content.
Peyton and Eli will bring a different approach, delving into conversation about broader, big-picture topics while also honing in on the game, much like fans do when watching with their family and friends.
Iconic and current athletes, as well as celebrities, are expected to appear alongside the brothers throughout the season.
Peyton and Eli Manning’s MegaCast broadcast will debut over the first three weeks of 2021′s MNF slate (Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders, Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys) and will air on seven more weeks which are yet to be announced.
ESPN’s conventional Monday Night Football broadcast team of Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters and John Parry will return for their second consecutive season on the main channel, with Pitaro stressing that “this new MegaCast option is designed to be a great complement to our traditional telecast.”
The Manning brothers each won two Super Bowls during their legendary playing careers, Peyton with the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos, and Eli on two occasions with his sole franchise, the New York Giants.
