The College Football Playoff (CFP) will be staying at ESPN. The Disney-owned sports network has agreed to an extension with the College Football Playoff for the next six years, according to The Athletic.
- The new six-year extension is reportedly worth a total of $7.8 billion, or $1.3 billion per year, to keep what will now be a 12-team tournament on ESPN through the 2031-32 season.
- While ESPN and the CFP are in agreement on this new deal, it will be made official “once CFP leaders sort out the specifics of how the postseason’s new era will operate.”
- The agreement is said to be contingent upon CFP leaders finalizing details of the expanded format of the tournament.
- ESPN has two years remaining on its current deal, which consists of an average payment of $608 million per year and includes the CFP semifinals and championship as well as the other four New Year’s Six bowl games.
- The new agreement would give ESPN the rights to the new set of first-round games held at on-campus sites, in addition to the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games.
- ESPN would also have the ability to sublicense games, allowing another network or digital player to air playoff games at ESPN’s discretion.
- The new deal would give ESPN control over nearly all Division I college sports championships, outside of the men’s basketball tournament, which remains at CBS and its networks through 2032.
What they’re saying:
- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey: “Well, we’ve got two more years on a 12-year cycle and then an important conversation about the future. We look at that independently. That’s not part of what we announced with the advisory group (with the Big Ten). We’re certainly interested in continuing the playoff, but there’s work to do.”