Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions is one of the fastest-growing sports media production companies today. Hits like ESPN2’s ManningCast, Netflix’s Quarterback, and Eli’s Places on ESPN+ have demonstrated that Manning and co-founder Jamie Horowitz are able to cut through content in a crowded media market.
Omaha Productions recently announced a new partnership with NBA commentator Kenny Beecham’s sports media and lifestyle brand, Enjoy Basketball. The first project by the partnership will be a podcast called Numbers on the Board, produced alongside ESPN. Beecham and Manning have promised that more digital content will follow.
Numbers on the Board represents a milestone for rising star Kenny Beecham as well as Omaha Productions. This project is set to showcase Beecham’s capabilities on a larger platform, and it’s a key indicator of how Omaha plans to expand and innovate beyond football coverage.
Jamie Horowitz has been a longtime fan of Beecham’s work and Manning’s brand is focused on celebrating sports. Beecham’s mix of heart, humor, and NBA expertise is a perfect fit for Omaha.
“Kenny has used his platform to celebrate the game of basketball,” Jamie Horowitz said. “Enjoy Basketball is a brand that has cut through for all the right reasons and the best days are still ahead.”
What Fans Can Expect from Numbers on the Board
What do we know about Numbers on the Board? Quite a lot, actually.
The “new” podcast is a rebrand of Through the Wire, a podcast cohosted by Beecham for Bleacher Report.
Through the Wire was centered around relaxed yet informed basketball commentary between Beecham and his friends. One of the unique aspects of the pod is its casual format. The hosts’ were childhood friends chatting about basketball—and the listener felt as if they were part of the conversation too.
This style of authentic, personal programming is similar to other Omaha Productions shows like ManningCast, which features Peyton and Eli covering Monday Night Football live from their respective man caves.
Of course, Numbers on the Board will be much more than chatter. It will feature in-depth analysis of NBA games, player performances, league news, predictions, and lots of heated debate.
The Rise of Kenny Beecham and Enjoy Basketball
Kenny Beecham is not your typical NBA commentator. He wasn’t a player, and he didn’t rise through the traditional sports broadcasting ranks. Beecham got his start on YouTube. Over the past decade, he’s created over 2000 videos and amassed over 1 billion views. At under 30 years old, Beecham represents the next generation of sports media personalities.
Today, Beecham is known for his substantial influence in the digital basketball content world. He has over 600,000 subscribers on his main YouTube channel, and he’s launched a podcast channel with nearly 300,000 subscribers.
While still a rising talent, Beecham has landed interviews with top athletes such as Michael Porter Jr. and Naz Reid, and he’s appeared on shows like The Stephen A. Smith Show and The Right Time with Bomani Jones.
Beecham launched his lifestyle brand Enjoy Basketball in 2022, hoping to expand his influence—and it worked. It wasn’t long before he was sitting across the table from Peyton Manning, penning his biggest deal to date with Omaha Productions.
Omaha Productions Looks to Corner the NBA in a Big Way
The Numbers on the Board podcast is a big deal for Kenny Beecham, but it is also an interesting moment for Omaha Productions. It represents the brand’s next foray into NBA content. Peyton Manning and Jamie Horowitz have put their trust in Beecham, as well as their confidence that his style of sports coverage will appeal to a new generation of NBA fans.
Omaha’s collaboration with Enjoy Basketball is only the beginning of its NBA aspirations. Manning’s company is also partnering with LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment on a docuseries series for Netflix centered on the NBA. This fly-on-the-wall-style documentary will be similar to Omaha and Netflix’s wildly popular series Quarterback, which followed three NFL quarterbacks during the 2022 season. The new series will follow some of the biggest NBA stars on the court, in the locker room, and at home. Omaha Productions has also teamed up with Kevin Hart to produce NBA MegaCasts that are similar to what Eli and Peyton do for the NFL.
