Does Manningcast extension spell doom for Peyton Manning's Broncos ownership hopes?
Yesterday, Adam Schefter broke the news that Peyton Manning's simulcast is getting an extension through the 2024 NFL season. The news comes as several powerful and wealthy bidders are signing up to enter the bidding war to buy the Denver Broncos.
Are the two news items linked? Does Manning's decision to extend his show give a hint as to what his intentions are when it comes to buying his former team?
Why Peyton Manning may be preparing for the worst
Over the last couple of days, two billionaires announced their intentions to compete in the Broncos' auction. Based on previous reports, it appears that about eight parties in total have an interest in the team. With so many parties interested, Manning's hopes of acquiring the team have likely taken a hit.
As it stands, at face value, he has a one-in-eight chance of having the winning bid for the team (12.5 percent). However, looking at the billionaires he needs to go against, the odds are likely lower.
For all that Manning has accomplished in his career and for all the money he has made, he is still worth a fraction of some of the other options.
ESPN expanded its agreement with Peyton and Eli Manning, and “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli”, through the 2024 NFL season. https://t.co/HNyqI3bif0
That said, he does have a group of people helping him buy the team. However, it will be harder to convince a group of people to push their budgets when going against singular billionaires who only need to convince themselves. As such, it is looking less likely that the quarterback will become the Broncos' next owner.
Von Miller said all of the things he learned from Peyton Manning and DeMarcus Ware he’s teaching the younger guys on the Rams as they head into the Super Bowl.
With the extension of his show through 2024, the quarterback now has a ready-made safety net in case he doesn't get the team. Of course, he still hasn't officially withdrawn his name from consideration. This means there is still technically a chance the quarterback can also purchase the team and produce his own show.
If there is a list of owners in sports history who have their own television show, it is likely short. Manning could be the only owner in sports history to have a team and a show about the sport he owns.
Of course, that may cause a conflict of interest when it comes to the topics he discusses on his show, leading to a a number of legal gray areas, but that would be something for the legal scholars to figure out.
That leaves just one question. Will the quarterback be able to purchase the team along with his television show's extension? He may be retired from playing in the NFL, but he is far from excluded from it.