The secret to Peyton’s Places’ success, both in fan engagement and overall, stems from its host, as Peyton Manning’s genuine on-screen personality brings an exceptional level of accessibility to the show. As one of the most beloved American athletes of the past two decades, Peyton would draw huge engagement no matter what, but his enthusiasm and ability to interject humor in front of the camera take Peyton’s Places to another level. Manning’s success connecting with fans by simply “being himself” on the show lights a path for others: any former athletes looking for a career in TV after the playing days are done should try to relate to fans using their genuine personality.

Peyton’s Places was designed with the knowledge that the modern sports fan has a near-infinite number of articles, videos, shows, and live games constantly battling for their attention. By packing an immense amount of top-quality content into a relatively short time frame, the show serves the fans who need to get the most out of their sports content consumption. Any Peyton’s Places viewer knows that in the roughly 25 minutes they’re giving up watching the show, they are being rewarded with non-stop entertainment fueled by top-level guests, wild and imaginative stunts, illuminating flashbacks, and truly unexpected surprises.

By creating moments that were comedic, nostalgic, and even a bit shocking, Peyton’s Places was able to deliver a product that drew interaction from all kinds of fans, from football diehards to the casual sports viewer. With wide-ranging episodes that could appeal to all types of fans, the show was set up to reach anyone with any level of football interest, or even just a good sense of humor. Hilarious revelations - such as Marshawn Lynch’s admission to drinking Hennessy before games - also played an important role in pushing online engagement from fans who almost couldn’t believe some of the crazy stories behind their favorite NFL players.