Ex-Endeavor exec chair Patrick Whitesell invests in Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions

Patrick Whitesell, who left his post as executive chairman of Endeavor this week, has invested in Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions via his recently launched media company backed by private equity firm Silver Lake.

Patrick Whitesell

CNBC, which first reported the news, said Whitesell’s company had acquired roughly 10% of Omaha Productions in a deal valuing the company at US$750m.

Retired NFL quarterback Manning’s company has previously sold a minority stake to Peter Chernin’s North Road Company.

US-based Omaha Productions, founded by Manning and media exec Jamie Horowitz in 2020, has executive produced projects including the American football-focused series Quarterback and Receiver, both for Netflix, and the ESPN series Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli.

For Whitesell, the announcement of the minority investment comes hard on the heels of this week’s news he was leaving entertainment and media agency Endeavor, which has been rebranded as WME Group, after the company was taken private by Silver Lake.

The launch of his new company, which does not yet have a name, has been in the works for some time, though, with Silver Lake revealing a year ago it was backing the firm to the tune of US$250m.

“Omaha’s strong track record of creating engaging content puts them in a strong position to capitalise on new opportunities across entertainment and sports,” said Whitesell.

“Partnering with Peyton, Jamie and the Omaha team is such a clear choice as the first investment for our new venture, given their impressive track record, the strength of the business and commitment to applying the same energy to continuing the company’s growth.”