ESPN and College Football have reached a 7.8 Billion dollar contract extension for 6 years. The College football playoff’s leaders must sort out how the postseason’s new era will operate and once they figure out all the details, ESPN will become home to the annual post-season Knockout tournament.
NEWS: ESPN and the College Football Playoff are in agreement on a six-year, $7.8 billion extension, sources tell The Athletic.
More details and analysis from @AndrewMarchand, @NicoleAuerbach, @slmandel and @ChrisVannini:https://t.co/wVeoaDmqCC pic.twitter.com/wIcjnaIxkq
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 13, 2024
The deal with ESPN will see CFP through 2032
The agreement will keep all of the CFP’s football action to be only available on ESPN till the 2031 season. Their partnership will end with the national title game in January 2032.
CFP will extend from 4 teams to 12 next year, for the first time. The original agreement was set to implement the 6+6 model which includes the six highest-ranked conference champions and the six highest-ranked at-large teams.
The Pac-12 is set to fold next season, the number of power conferences shrinks, and some league commissioners are looking to modify the current format to 5+7, which is most likely to keep the field at one “Group of Five” conference champion. staggering
Fans react to CFP’s whooping 7.8 Billion Dollar deal with ESPN
Fans could not believe their eyes initially after witnessing the amount behind the deal and shared mixed reactions on the topic.
“That’s a significant deal for college football.” one fan commented on X(previously Twitter)
“This is such a gift… unlike all other pro sports, none of this money will go to the players. And the alum will be asked and expected to pony up with no ROÍ besides go team go.” another fan expressed his views on the matter.
Though the extension kicks in from the 2026 season, ESPN will still control the rights to all games for the following couple of years till 2026, which includes the latest first round and quarterfinals.
ESPN will have the right to “sublicense” CFP games, throughout the contract to other media organizations or streamers, according to the reports.
