The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”
The Faculty Soccer Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a brand new six-year, $7.8 billion contract that ensures the community will stay the only real media rights holder of the occasion by means of the 2031-32 season, it was collectively introduced Tuesday.
ESPN, which has held unique broadcast rights for the reason that CFP started in 2015, will increase its package deal for the ultimate two years of the present 12-year contract, which runs by means of the 2025-26 season. The CFP is unveiling a 12-team format for the 2024-25 season, and ESPN will add all 4 of the brand new first-round video games annually to the community’s current protection of the New Yr’s Six bowls (now the quarterfinals and semifinals) and the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation.
ESPN additionally secured a brand new six-year settlement that can price $1.3 billion yearly starting within the 2026-27 season and contains unique rights to all rounds of the expanded playoff together with continued unique rights to all programming linked to the CFP, such because the CFP choice present, weekly Prime 25 rating exhibits and extra.
“ESPN has labored very carefully with the Faculty Soccer Playoff over the previous decade to construct one of the distinguished occasions in American sports activities,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a press release. “We sit up for enhancing our valued relationship over the subsequent two years, after which persevering with it for six extra as we embark on this new, expanded playoff period.
“This settlement additional solidifies ESPN as the house of faculty soccer, in addition to the vacation spot for the overwhelming majority of main faculty championships for the subsequent eight years.”
The hefty price ticket displays the rise in video games, as the present deal was initially constructed for seven video games (together with the New Yr’s Six bowls and the nationwide championship) — and solely three have been really playoff video games (the 2 semifinals and the nationwide title recreation). The brand new contract is constructed as both 11 or 13 video games — all of that are playoff video games — in a 12- or 14-team subject.
“We really feel actually good in regards to the worth of what we’re getting in alternate for the financials being paid,” stated Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vp, faculty sports activities programming & acquisitions. “We firmly consider the occasion goes to be higher, beginning this fall at 12 groups, simply by way of how it may captivate the nation.”
Starting in 2026-27, the CFP Nationwide Championship recreation will likely be broadcast on ABC along with ESPN’s MegaCast presentation. The brand new settlement contains expansive rights to simulcast or MegaCast CFP video games throughout all Walt Disney Firm platforms, together with TWDC Direct-to-Shopper choices.
Dawson stated he does not count on a lot to vary in how the general public watches these video games within the close to future and that ABC and ESPN would be the “main autos shifting ahead with the deal.”
“There’s a proper and suppleness to do early-round video games on direct-to-consumer streaming providers, however as of now, no choice has been made on our facet to even activate that proper,” Dawson stated. “A number of that is future-proofing the place the world goes over basically eight years, and we really feel actually good in regards to the flexibility we have now, however within the close to time period, I do not suppose followers would count on to see a lot distinction by way of how the video games are distributed broadly throughout conventional linear tv.”
The CFP format for this season and subsequent will likely be 5 automated qualifiers from the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 at-large bids. Final week, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame agreed the playoff will embody at the least 12 groups in 2026 and past. The CFP has full authority to find out the format.
Whereas a number of sources have advised ESPN the CFP is leaning in direction of a 14-team subject, the variety of groups and the way they may qualify for the CFP hasn’t been decided past the subsequent two seasons. There are protections in place for the ACC, Massive Ten, SEC and Massive 12 convention champions, Notre Dame and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion within the new contract.
Dawson stated the brand new TV deal particularly addresses 12- and 14-team fashions, but in addition contains “a mechanism to deal with in the event that they increase past 14 groups.”
“I do suppose in some unspecified time in the future you begin to actually impression the common season and the convention championship video games,” Dawson stated. “I really feel like they’ve carried out an important job up to now of designing the 12-team mannequin, and probably even the 14-team mannequin, though we might nonetheless want to grasp precisely what it seems to be like. … I do fear that the bigger you get past that, I feel it turns into nearly unattainable to keep away from some injury being carried out there.”
The CFP has granted ESPN the best to sublicense a choose variety of video games in each the amended two-year settlement and the brand new six-year extension.
“As we sit right here at the moment, no choice has been made on our facet whether or not we’ll even pursue it or not,” Dawson stated. “It is merely a proper within the deal as of proper now.”
Earlier than agreeing to the media rights cope with ESPN, the 9 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame management needed to first comply with signal a memorandum of understanding final week that outlined in broad phrases what the subsequent contract would seem like. They agreed to maneuver ahead with a brand new income distribution plan that can codify the additional monetary separation of the expanded Massive Ten and SEC from everybody else in faculty athletics.
The monetary distribution for the anticipated 14-team playoff will look radically totally different. On an annual foundation, for instance, Massive Ten and SEC colleges will every be making greater than $21 million — a drastic enhance from the almost $5.5 million that colleges in Energy 5 conferences are presently being paid.
Within the ACC, the faculties will get greater than $13 million yearly, and Massive 12 colleges will get greater than $12 million every. Notre Dame is predicted to get greater than $12 million as properly, and sources advised ESPN there will likely be a monetary incentive for any unbiased staff that reaches the CFP.
There’ll not be a CFP participation bonus for any of the opposite leagues — a element that was irritating to some leaders within the Group of 5. The Group of 5 colleges’ annual funds will enhance to simply below $1.8 million from the present $1.5 million.
For now, the CFP is treating Oregon State and Washington State as unbiased colleges in 2026 and past. Given the convention’s unsure standing with 10 colleges leaving subsequent season, new Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould didn’t signal the memorandum of understanding final week or the brand new six-year cope with ESPN, however she did comply with the amended contract with the community for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Now that the income and media rights deal have been agreed upon, essentially the most urgent query remaining is what the format will seem like in 2026 and past. It is unknown if CFP leaders will let one version of the 12-team subject play out or determine on a format within the upcoming months. CFP and ESPN leaders predict the 12-team subject this fall to generate much more curiosity amongst followers than up to now.
“We firmly consider this fall goes to be an thrilling time for school soccer followers,” Dawson stated. “The appropriate stability between entry and nonetheless capturing the perfect groups within the nation I feel has been achieved right here, and we’re excited to roll it out this fall.”
The CFP has contributed to the most-watched days in ESPN’s almost 45-year historical past, led by the primary CFP semifinals in 2015 boosting ESPN to 11.6 million common viewers for New Yr’s Day. The CFP semifinals in 2018, 2022 and 2024 anchored ESPN in rounding out the highest 4 full day audiences in community historical past. Faculty soccer on ESPN accounts for the highest 15 and greater than 50 of the highest 100 most-watched cable applications on file (since 1987), with eight of the highest 10 instantly from CFP semifinals or nationwide title video games.
In 2023-24, ESPN’s expansive protection of the CFP delivered a file 12 months. The three-game CFP scored its most-watched matchups in six years (since Yr 4) and third-best of the CFP period with 23.6 million viewers and 15% year-over-year viewers development throughout the trio of video games. The CFP Nationwide Championship and New Yr’s Six averaged 15.1 million viewers, the perfect viewers in 5 years and fifth-highest up to now decade of the CFP.
The settlement with the CFP marks ESPN’s second vital faculty sports activities media rights extension in 2024, following the eight-year cope with the NCAA in January that encompasses unique rights to 40 NCAA championship occasions. ESPN now boasts the unique home rights to each main faculty championship outdoors of males’s basketball, and worldwide rights to all main faculty championships.
“This new settlement solidifies the printed way forward for the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a few years to come back,” stated Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, chairman of the CFP Board of Managers. “ESPN has been a key piece of the overwhelming success of the playoff throughout these first 10 years. The addition of ABC to this expanded relationship is simply the subsequent step within the continued development of one of many high sporting occasions of the 12 months.”