The $10 million toe in the water

Amazon's Prime Video has secured exclusivve behind-the-scenes access to Pep Guardiola's final two seasons as manager of Manchester City for over £10 million, surpassing the £7 million Netflix paid for its documentary on City's 2023 Treble-winning campaign.

The agreement will result in a four-part documentary series scheduled for release this summer, though an official title remains pending final approval.

The production will be overseen by BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, known for his work on the Whitney Houston documentary, in collaboration with John De Caux from City Studios.

Why 4,000 unsold units became the prize

The series was initially conceived to chronicle the challenging 2024-25 season, marked by a record number of defeats under Guardiola and significant squad changes.

However, the project expanded to encompass the final two seasons of his tenure,effectively framing it as his 'last dance' at the club following his departure after a decade in charge.

Prime Video promises unprecedented intimacy , hinting at footage of a 'visibly shaken' Guardiola striving to navigate the team through a prolonged period of struggle before a mid-season turnaround.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

This collaboration builds on a precedent set by City's prior work with broadcasters; their 2017-18 Centurions season was the first of its kind to be documented for an English football club.

Gavin Johnson, Media Director at City Football Group, expressed immense pride, stating the series offers a new level of insight and scale, made possible by the embedded City Studios crew's years of relationship-building with players, staff, and executives.

He highlighted the endorsement of working with a filmmaker of Macdonald's caliber as validation of their production standards .

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The club has a history of compiling annual season review packages for supporters , but this partnership represents a significant escalation in commercializing their internal acceess.

The decision to focus on Guardiola's exit period captures a definitive end to an era of unprecedented success, including multiple Premier League titles and a historic Treble, while also documenting the inherent pressures and vulnerabilities of a top-tier manager.

This move further cements the growing trend of elite football clubs leveraging premium documentary deals to monetize their narratives and engage global audiences beyond matchday broadcasts .

What auditors flagged in the May filing

Manchester City has sold exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Pep Guardiola's final two seasons as manager to Amazon's Prime Video for a fee exceeding ten million pounds.

This substantial sum surpasses the seven-figure deal Netflix paid for its documentary on City's 2023 Treble-winning campaign.

The agreement will result in a four-part documentary series scheduled for release this summer, though an official title remains pending final approval.