Momentum is everything in the world of professional sports, which the Kansas City Chiefs have had over the past two years. And that’s not even counting Taylor Swift being in the plus-one box.
After two straight Super Bowl wins and a bout of unexpected publicity, the NFL franchise has wisely capitalized on that momentum — especially when it comes to expanding its brand of entertainment. Last week, the team announced that it would follow up its original 2024 Hallmark film Zeitgeist with a new digital series made in the style of the classic buddy comedy.
Christopher Meloni (from Swift’s beloved “Law & Order: SVU”) and comedians Pete Holmes and Holly Robinson Peete will star in “The Magic Number,” set to stream across multiple episodes on the Chiefs’ YouTube channel (highest subscription ever). American Football) starting January 14. Jason Sudeikis, a Kansas native and superstar Chiefs fan, serves as narrator. Robinson Peete’s father-in-law, Willie Peete, got his first major league assistant coaching job with the Chiefs in 1984.
says Lara Krug, the team’s chief marketing officer diverse Their latest original production is part of an effort to “become storytellers” to serve their die-hard fans, as the team heads back to the playoffs.
“We got started on this content last year with last season’s playoff campaign and the Hallmark movie ‘Touchdown: A Chief’s Love Story,’ and we’re very grateful to be in a position to be in the playoffs again,” Krug said. “We’re trying to pull in what’s culturally relevant. Our motto this year is make magic, and this series does that.”
Holmes and Robinson Peete play two friends searching for a third friend to complete their adorable collection. Cameos abound, including a large portion by Meloni.
“We had no previous relationship with him and obviously this is something very different from what he’s working on. He was literally moving around his schedule and we found a way to do that with him in New York,” Krug says. “He’s a great example of how fans, even celebrities, want In interaction with our club. Especially when it’s not the same story over and over again.
“Comedy is kind of like my sport,” Holmes said. There is an athletic element to stand-up, especially in terms of competition. Everyone wants the best group or joke of the night. The “Woman of the Hour” star also praised “every Chiefs fan and player I met, they were a true joy. The vibe in the city was so infectious.”
The Chiefs previously collaborated with Skydance Sports on a Hallmark movie, and Krug believes the team will prioritize building a mechanism to continue producing originals. And yes, as you say, the Taylor Swift effect is real.
“There is more interest in us – from our performance on the field to everything that happened off the field,” says Krug. “Obviously there are new, younger fans and that has a ripple effect. We’re seeing stories of fathers and daughters watching together, and entire families gathering around a Chiefs game. It’s just helped us evolve our content approach.”