ESPN’s first ManningCast of the 2024 NFL season aired on Monday, but the audience turnout was notably low. Fewer fans than ever before chose to tune in to watch Peyton and Eli Manning provide their unique brand of commentary for Monday Night Football.
On Wednesday, reports surfaced that the Week 1 ManningCast posted its lowest viewership on record. According to Douglas Pucci of Programming Insider, the broadcast averaged just 872,000 viewers during the San Francisco 49ers-New York Jets game. This marked an all-time low for the popular alternate broadcast, a fact confirmed by NBC’s Mike Florio.
What makes these numbers particularly striking is the contrast with the overall viewership of the Monday Night Football game. Despite ongoing disputes between ESPN and DirecTV, which left over 10 million potential viewers without access, the main MNF broadcast was a huge success. More than 20 million people tuned in to see the 49ers take on the Jets, making it the highest-rated MNF broadcast since Week 1 of the 2023 season. Fans were eager to see Aaron Rodgers debut for the Jets, though his early exit due to injury added an unexpected twist to the game.
While the ManningCast struggled in comparison to the main telecast, the guest lineup was impressive. Monday’s broadcast featured a roster of high-profile guests, including legendary New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, comedian and actor Adam Sandler, and Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones. Given the star power, it’s surprising that the viewership numbers didn’t reflect more interest.
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However, ESPN may not be overly concerned with the ManningCast’s dip in viewers. The show has always been intended as a niche offering—an alternative to the traditional MNF broadcast. The Manning brothers’ casual, conversational approach to calling the game, paired with their celebrity guest interviews, has made the show a fan favorite, but its audience size has never been particularly large.
After the initial buzz surrounding its debut in 2021, the show settled into a steady rhythm of attracting around a million viewers per episode in the seasons that followed. So while dropping below 900,000 viewers is notable, it’s not a dramatic fall-off from what’s become the show’s norm.
The ManningCast’s appeal lies in its ability to offer something different: a laid-back, often humorous take on the game, with Peyton and Eli riffing on football, interviewing guests, and providing insights that traditional broadcasts don’t offer. It’s not designed to compete directly with the primary MNF telecast, which benefits from the excitement of live play-by-play commentary.
Looking ahead, the Manning brothers will have another chance to boost their numbers next week when the Atlanta Falcons visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. With the Eagles being a major Super Bowl contender and boasting a passionate fanbase, the game could draw more interest to the alternate broadcast.
For now, while the ManningCast’s Week 1 viewership may have been underwhelming, ESPN and fans alike seem content to enjoy the show for what it is: a fun, innovative, and light-hearted spin on football commentary.
