Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning cannot stop shouting about Omaha during National Football League games and now the Midwestern US city is thanking him for the extra attention and publicity.
In yelling coded signals to his teammates for plays during Denver's 24-17 NFL play-off triumph Sunday over San Diego, Manning screamed the name of the Nebraska city more than 40 times.
While it happens often during the season, the extra national television coverage and the play-off spotlight ensured a huge audience for Manning's shout-outs to the city of about 420,000 people, including financier Warren Buffett, one of the world's richest people.
That prompted a message Monday from the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau saying, "We certainly appreciate all the love from Peyton Manning :) #OmahaOmaha."
Omaha Steaks turned the move into free advertising, tweeting: "Woke up to 652 missed calls from Peyton Manning."
The city figures to receive even more attention next week when the Broncos host New England in the American Conference final, with the winner to play either Seattle or San Francisco in the Super Bowl on February 2 in suburban New York.
And New England quarterback Tom Brady sometimes uses "Omaha" in calling signals before the ball is snapped as well, leading the tourism bureau to tweet: "Omaha Bowl has a great ring to it."
Source: DSG
