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The College Football Playoff announced on Saturday that it will maintain ongoing talks with ESPN concerning media rights for a possible 24-team playoff, following the conclusion of a 30-day exclusive negotiating period on Friday. According to sources who spoke with ESPN, the conversations are anticipated to extend into the coming week, giving the network an opportunity to assess a financial offer before the CFP considers taking the rights to the open market.
In a statement, the CFP confirmed, "We continue to have ongoing discussions with ESPN regarding media rights connected to potential Playoff expansion to 24 teams." The organization further noted that the dialogue throughout the exclusive window has been productive and that it will continue these conversations with ESPN as it charts the next steps.
Background and Implications
The concept of a 24-team playoff was first introduced in February and gained traction when CFP leaders convened at the Big Ten headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, in late September. Should the format be adopted, it could be implemented as early as the 2027 season, and it would spell the end of the Power 4 conference championship games.
Untangling the existing contracts for those conference championship games and assessing their worth has been a central component of the negotiations. Sources have indicated to ESPN that these games are collectively valued at approximately $200 million. Meanwhile, the Group of 6 conferences are not required to eliminate their championship games, and some have privately voiced a strong preference to retain them.
A second key aspect of the negotiations revolves around the value of the additional games that a 24-team field would create. If ESPN and the CFP fail to reach an agreement, the CFP would be free to offer the net 10 additional games to other potential buyers, though ESPN would retain certain matching rights. ESPN currently holds the rights to the existing 11 games, which include all quarterfinals, both semifinals, and the national championship game.
Originally reported by players_bio.