Everyone wants to work with Peyton Manning, including investment funds. Longtime Endeavor executive chairman Patrick Whitesell recently left his role to lead a new investment fund backed by Silver Lake, which just completed a deal to take Endeavor private after spinning off WWE and UFC parent TKO, which Silver Lake majority owns but is still publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange. While the fund is still unnamed, it has made its first investment in Manning’s Omaha Productions.
This investment was announced on Thursday and will see the new fund take a minority stake in Omaha, aiding the company in its expansion with valuable experience from Whitesell and Silver Lake CEO Egon Durban. Peter Chernin’s North Road, the parent of the Connor Schell/Libby Geist-led Words+Pictures, will remain a minority investor and strategic partner, collaborating with Manning and Omaha co-founder Jamie Horowitz on further growth.
“All of us at Omaha are excited to work with Patrick and Egon as our new teammates to grow the business and create new opportunities for fans,” said Peyton Manning, Co-Founder of Omaha Productions. “Peter Chernin and his team have been great partners over the past two years, helping us build a strong foundation. I’m very excited for all of us to continue building Omaha.”
“Omaha’s strong track record of creating engaging content positions them well to seize new opportunities in entertainment and sports,” stated Whitesell. “Partnering with Peyton, Jamie, and the Omaha team was an obvious choice for our first investment, given their impressive track record, the strength of the business, and their commitment to continuing the company’s growth.”
“In just four years, Peyton, Jamie, and the hardworking team at Omaha have built a dynamic business across multiple premium content verticals,” noted Egon Durban, CEO of Silver Lake. “They have executed with discipline while remaining true to their core vision. After getting to know Peyton and the leadership team, it’s clear they possess the authenticity, drive, and creative instincts to explore new frontiers in the rapidly evolving media industry. We’re excited to partner with them and fuel their next growth phase.”
“Peyton and Jamie have created an exceptional media business, anchored in Peyton’s humor, heart, and authenticity,” emphasized Peter Chernin. “They have coupled that with a bold and diversified strategic vision that distinguishes Omaha Productions. We’re proud to invest through North Road, and I can’t think of better partners than Patrick and Egon to join us in driving the company into its next growth phase.”
Manning, Horowitz, and Omaha have launched a diverse array of ventures to date, featuring projects that showcase Manning on-camera, including Peyton’s Places and the ManningCast, along with a myriad of alternate feeds, podcasts, documentaries, docuseries, and advertising campaigns for various brands. The company claims to have operated profitably since its inception and has recently begun investing in other companies, notably the golf and lifestyle brand Good Good Golf.
