Alternate broadcasts have been around for decades, but have gained popularity and prominence following the debut of the ManningCast by Peyton Manning and his brother Eli. The Monday Night Football alternate broadcast, which started in 2021, has garnered significant attention to date, as well as numerous spinoffs in other sports, many of which are associated with Peyton’s Omaha Productions.
And now, Omaha and NFL Films (also a key part of the ManningCast) are teaming with Vice Sports for altcasts of classic NFL games.
That collaboration will be in a project tentatively titled The NFL Playback. It’s set to premiere on Vice TV this September as six consecutive one-hour episodes on Wednesdays. And it’s the second collaboration between that newly sports-focused channel and Omaha, which they announced as a key partner in February. As those groups previously teamed up for Calipari: Razor’s Edge (one of two big college basketball docuseries they produced this season, in addition to Pitino: Red Storm Rising).
Here’s more on this project from a release:
Each episode of The NFL Playback will feature actual NFL game footage from a legendary matchup, with picture-in-picture commentary from players representing both teams and celebrity fans. Each episode will offer never-before-heard tales delving into legendary moments, allowing fans to learn the real stories behind the history they remember. With the players who lived these games providing their own memories, fans are in for a tell-all experience, usually reserved only for the locker room.
…“Everyone at Vice Sports is excited to work closely with Omaha Productions, with help from NFL Films, to bring The NFL Playback to football fans next season,” said Vice TV President Pete Gaffney. “Football games are usually absent on Wednesdays, so it’s the perfect night to offer fans something fresh and fun, and, having recently worked with Omaha on Razor’s Edge, we know that they will produce each episode of The NFL Playback to the highest standards possible.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Vice Sports to create The NFL Playback,” said Peyton Manning. “This is a great way for fans to look back at unforgettable games and moments in NFL history.”
NFL Films has previously produced a significant amount of past-game content under brands like NFL’s Greatest Games. However, the full picture-in-picture commentary represents a considerable shift, as does the combination of players and celebrity fans. And Omaha has a ton of altcast experience at this point.
It will be interesting to see how the particular Omaha/ManningCast flavor of altcasts works for classic games, and in an hour-long window rather than a full broadcast. We’ll also see how this aligns with the overall growing sports focus at Vice TV.