Omaha Productions Expands Focus on Women's Sports Content
Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions is significantly increasing its involvement in women's sports content, launching new programs and expanding its reach beyond traditional sports narratives. This strategic shift highlights a growing recognition of the untapped potential and increasing audience interest in female athletic achievements. The company aims to provide diverse and engaging content that celebrates women in sports, leveraging both humor and in-depth storytelling to connect with viewers.
A key initiative in Omaha Productions' push into women's sports is the new Roku series titled "Gamechangers: America's Top 25 Female Athletes." This program features an impressive lineup of executive producers, including Olympic medalists Sue Bird and Alex Morgan, alongside Peyton Manning himself. The series also boasts commentary from various sports personalities, comedians, and broadcasters such as Adam Rippon, Alysia Montaño, Fortune Feimster, Jared Freid, Ryan Ruocco, Stu Holden, Katie Feeney, Katie Nolan, Cari Champion, and Hannah Storm. The show's format incorporates lighthearted banter and analytical discussions to illuminate the profound impact and remarkable accomplishments of these athletes.
According to Colin Campbell, head of development at Omaha Productions, there is a strong and growing demand for programming centered around female athletes. Eve Wulf, a producer of current series for Omaha, notes that "Gamechangers" marks a departure for the company, utilizing humor in a novel way, reminiscent of popular VH-1 retrospective shows. The goal is to foster conversations and spark debate among viewers about the featured athletes, even if there are disagreements over rankings. This approach reflects a desire to create celebratory and engaging content that resonates with a broad audience.
Omaha Productions, co-founded by Peyton Manning and long-time sports-media executive Jamie Horowitz, with backing from Silver Lake and Patrick Whitesell, has been strategically broadening its content portfolio. In the current year, the company has delivered four distinct projects related to women's sports. This includes weekly live coverage of League One Volleyball for Versant Media's USA cable network, marking their first venture into season-long live sports broadcasting. Wulf emphasized that women's sports offer a wealth of untold stories and opportunities to explore individual journeys in depth, an area where Omaha plans to dedicate considerable effort.
Earlier in the year, Omaha was involved in "The Final Third," a three-part documentary series following Angel City FC, Washington Spirit, and Kansas City Current through their NWSL season. Additionally, a one-hour live special, "Celebrating Pat Summitt," honored the legendary Tennessee women's basketball coach, featuring unique sponsorship from pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly. These projects underscore Omaha's commitment to highlighting significant figures and events in women's sports.
The company's heightened focus on women's sports aligns with a broader trend of increased attention on leagues such as the NWSL and WNBA. ESPN, for instance, is transitioning its "Sunday Night Baseball" slot to "Women's Sports Sundays," showcasing women's soccer and basketball and necessitating new talent and studio programming. Campbell believes the surge in interest was significantly boosted by Caitlin Clark joining the Indiana Sun in 2024, confirming a substantial audience and distributor appetite, prompting Omaha to intensify its efforts in this dynamic sector.
Omaha Productions is actively investing in and producing diverse content celebrating female athletes, with a new Roku series, "Gamechangers," leading the charge. This initiative reflects the company's commitment to meeting the rising audience demand for women's sports programming, exploring untold stories, and fostering engagement through innovative and entertaining formats.
