The 9 Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame reached an settlement Friday on a six-year deal to proceed the Faculty Soccer Playoff by means of the 2031 season, a major step that establishes a revenue-sharing plan and permits the CFP to finalize a media rights settlement.
Govt Director Invoice Hancock mentioned the settlement doesn’t lock in a format for the CFP for 2026 and past, nevertheless it ensures a minimum of a 12-team discipline and 5 conferences having annual entry to the playoff by means of 2031.
The playoff is increasing this season from 4 groups to 12, with the 5 highest-ranked convention champions — no matter league — and 7 at-large alternatives making up the sphere.
“The rest relating to format is to be decided,” Hancock mentioned.
An individual who has seen the settlement instructed AP the plan for 2026 is for the Atlantic Coast Convention, Huge Ten, Huge 12 and Southeastern Convention champions to obtain computerized CFP bids, together with the highest-rated champion from the 5 different conferences that signed the deal: the American Athletic, Convention USA, Mid-American, Solar Belt and Mountain West.
The individual spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of particulars of the settlement had not been made public.
The Huge Ten and SEC had been pushing for fashions that may give their conferences a number of computerized bids, however that speak has been tabled for now.
The variety of groups within the CFP may develop to 14 below the brand new settlement, however for now there isn’t any plan in place and no urgency to decide, Hancock mentioned.
Hancock mentioned the convention commissioners who handle the CFP would possibly wish to let the approaching season play out and consider the primary iteration of the 12-team mannequin.
“We’re going to take a deep breath, step again, and start these conversations each time it’s applicable,” he mentioned.
Hancock mentioned the Pac-12, which is ready to function as a two-team league with simply Washington State and Oregon State subsequent season, didn’t signal the settlement due to its uncertainty past 2025.
The CFP applied a rule lately {that a} convention needed to have a minimum of eight groups to be eligible to qualify for entry to the playoff.
Hancock mentioned it was unclear whether or not the Pac-12, if rebuilt will have the ability to be a part of the settlement.
The CFP has an settlement in precept with ESPN on a brand new media rights settlement value $7.8 billion that adjusts the worth of the final two years of the present 12-year contract to account for extra playoff video games and runs by means of 2031.
The CFP couldn’t full that deal with out the conferences first agreeing to take part within the playoff and a revenue-sharing plan.
“We’re nonetheless negotiating with ESPN,” Hancock mentioned. “We’re inspired in regards to the place we’re in. However we nonetheless have work to do.”
Hancock declined to provide particulars of the revenue-sharing settlement.
It has been beforehand reported — and confirmed by AP — the Southeastern Convention and Huge Ten will obtain greater than 50% of the distributed CFP income, with the Atlantic Coast Convention and Huge 12 getting about 30% mixed and the Group of 5 Conferences and Notre Dame the remaining.
Huge Ten and SEC colleges will obtain an annual payout of about $22 million per 12 months.
Notre Dame’s share can be about $12 million per 12 months, about the identical as ACC and Huge 12 colleges. Colleges in Group of 5 conferences will earn about $2 million per 12 months.
Bonuses for participation — at present $6 million for reaching the semifinals and $4 million for different New Yr’s Six bowls — can be eradicated for all however independents. Notre Dame and UConn would be the solely official soccer independents in FBS by 2025, when Massachusetts joins the MAC.
However the deal requires Washington State and Oregon State to be handled as non-Notre Dame independents, receiving annual funds of $360,000 per 12 months, beginning in 2026, in accordance with one other individual with direct information of the settlement. The colleges have been making about $5 million per 12 months within the present CFP deal as a part of the Pac-12.
Washington State President Kirk Schulz and Oregon State President Jayathi Murthy mentioned in a press release the CFP’s choice to “drastically scale back the Pac-12 Convention’s rightful share of CFP revenues” will trigger the monetary hole the Pacific Northwest colleges are already dealing with to widen.
“Negotiations with the CFP proceed, and we proceed all choices on behalf of student-athletes and our universities,” they mentioned.
The deal additionally features a look-in by 2028 that would present a chance to make changes.
“This settlement is a very vital subsequent step for the CFP,” Hancock mentioned. “It ensures that followers will proceed to have a postseason soccer event to get pleasure from, and they’ll see the most effective groups within the nation competing for the nationwide championship.”
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Observe Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and hear at http://www.appodcasts.com. AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football