Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions to release docuseries on Caitlin Clark, women's basketball
Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning was at Tennessee during the prime of Pat Summitt’s coaching career.
The legendary women’s basketball coach won three consecutive national titles between 1996 to 1998. Manning was in Knoxville for two of the titles, and those memories have stuck with him. Now the founder of Omaha Productions, his production company’s next project is focused on women’s basketball.
Manning’s Omaha Productions produced the Netflix series “Quarterback,” which followed Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota through an NFL season. Now in partnership with ESPN, the NFL Hall of Famer is preparing to release a new docuseries “Full Court Press.” The documentary features Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso and UCLA guard Kiki Rice.
“I remember what it meant to the University of Tennessee and the entire state when Pat Summitt led the Lady Vols to back-to-back national titles during my time in Knoxville,” Manning said. “We’re excited to share the stories of these three amazing women to a national audience at this incredible moment for women’s basketball.”
Docuseries to capture Caitlin Clark at WNBA draft
Omaha Productions has been following the three players throughout this season. Plus, its been embedded with Clark throughout her quest to pass Pete Maravich as the NCAA all-time leading scorer. The four-episode docuseries will premiere on May 11 and May 12 on ABC before being released on ESPN+.
While Clark has been the must-see star this season in women’s basketball, Cardoso and Rice also bring intriguing storylines. Rice is the first college athlete to sign an endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand, while Cardoso is from Brazil and sank the game-winning 3-pointer to send South Carolina to the SEC Tournament championship game.
According to a release from ESPN, the docuseries will include Iowa’s historic preseason game at Kinnick Stadium and document the 2024 WNBA draft in April. All three teams are in the NCAA Tournament, too, with South Carolina and Iowa touting No. 1 seeds. Clark has already announced that this will be her last run at March Madness, with plans to enter the WNBA draft.
“Full Court Press” is directed by Kristen Lappas, who has worked on ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. This is the latest docuseries to focus on women’s collegiate sports. Prime Video greenlit “The Money Game” documentary in January, which will be an exclusive, all-access pass to the 2023-24 athletic season inside LSU athletics. LSU basketball stars Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson are starring with gymnast Livvy Dunne and quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“As someone who has grown up a devout fan of the women’s game, I am thrilled that we are able to make this show at this pivotal moment in the history of the sport,” Lappas said. “To be able to pull back the curtain and document Caitlin Clark’s historic season has been a privilege for our entire team. Each of our three players brings a unique set of storylines to the table, and we hope we’re able to capture both the excitement and the complexities surrounding what it means to be an elite female basketball player in 2024.”
Manning latest to invest in women’s basketball
March should be a TV ratings bonanza for women’s basketball. According to ESPN, last year’s national championship game averaged 9.92 million viewers, peaking at 12.6 million, the most watched women’s college basketball game to date.
Peyton Manning is the latest to invest in the sport. In early January, the NCAA signed an eight-year agreement with ESPN worth $115 million annually to televise 40 college sports championships each year, including the Division I women’s basketball tournament. The value of the women’s basketball property only appears to be growing, currently valued at about $65 million per year, per The Athletic.
Caitlin Clark’s NIL portfolio is evidence of brands wanting to spend on women’s basketball, too. She has inked deals with Nike, Gatorade and State Farm, while Reese holds partnerships with Reebok, Amazon and PlayStation.
“Fan support and excitement over women’s basketball is at an all-time high and we’re seeing it reflected across many platforms at ESPN,” ESPN Films senior vice president Brian Lockhart said. “We’ve had unprecedented access to the biggest players in the game, and our original content team is proud to have helped develop a series that showcases the fun and competitive spirit of this special moment in women’s sports.”