CFP Expansion Potentially Tabled till 2026

[JM4CY]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...rent-four-team-format-will-remain-until-2026/

Alternative headline: SEC will remain ballgagging the CFP for another 4 years.

 

[Gonzo]

Doesn't this pretty much screw the SEC and ESPN, meaning the media rights for an expanded CFP will now undoubtedly be up for bid amongst all networks?

 

[Die4Cy]

This is mostly a function of the fact that it would have taken unanimous agreement from conferences to do this before 2025, and that doesn't exist. It will probably still happen next time the contract expires.

I personally prefer an 8 team field with no conference earning more than 2 bids with a guaranteed spot for the best G5, but there are plenty of arguments around for the other options.

 

[Die4Cy]

Doesn't this pretty much screw the SEC and ESPN, meaning the media rights for an expanded CFP will now undoubtedly be up for bid amongst all networks?

Yes, that's my understanding also. Although ESPN "holding the rights" does not necessarily mean ESPN "broadcasts exclusively" in technical terms.

 

[CloneJD]

Doesn't this pretty much screw the SEC and ESPN, meaning the media rights for an expanded CFP will now undoubtedly be up for bid amongst all networks?

They would have to rebid for 2026 and beyond anyway when the current deal was up.

 

[Gonzo]

This is mostly a function of the fact that it would have taken unanimous agreement from conferences to do this before 2025, and that doesn't exist. It will probably still happen next time the contract expires.

I personally prefer an 8 team field with no conference earning more than 2 bids with a guaranteed spot for the best G5, but there are plenty of arguments around for the other options.

Agree, 8 is the perfect number for an expanded CFP.

 

[Mr Janny]

Doesn't this pretty much screw the SEC and ESPN, meaning the media rights for an expanded CFP will now undoubtedly be up for bid amongst all networks?

That's my take on it as well. Adding Texas and Oklahoma was going to help them get more teams into the playoff. As it stands, they'll only be able to get a maximum of two until a new deal is struck. They're not "screwed" because they're still making money hand over fist, but they won't be making quite as much as they could be with an expanded playoff

Yet

 

[mj4cy]

LOL all these SEC giants and likely only two spots a year.

 

[CloneJD]

College football left $450 million in the table because they couldn’t find a four year compromise.

 

[Die4Cy]

SEC desperately wants the 12 team format and payouts, and loudly complained against a field of 8 which may have been the closest thing to consensus. My guess is that is what we get in 2026 with the SEC as the only dissenter.

Nobody trusts these **** heads after A&M spilled the beans on what they had going under the table with ESPN. They pissed off conferences, media execs, fans. They will need time to smooth things over if they want to make a run at a 12 team field later on anyway.

 

[awd4cy]

LOL all these SEC giants and likely only two spots a year.

Poor ol 8-5 Oklahoma.

 

[KnappShack]

I'm ready to go all in on the USFL

 

[Halincandenza]

Knew it was dead as soon as the SEC made their move.

 

[BCClone]

I'm ready to go all in on the USFL

Talk to a family friend if he would play USFL, he said he’s sticking in Canada because of the uncertainty of the leagues lately. He got burnt with that XFL part 2 thing.

 

[Die4Cy]

Talk to a family friend if he would play USFL, he said he’s sticking in Canada because of the uncertainty of the leagues lately. He got burnt with that XFL part 2 thing.

XFL 2.0 was actually outperforming their own (publicly stated) metrics for success, but was not a pet project Vince McMahon wanted to keep afloat with his own money while WWE was subjected to open ended shutdown.

I still think spring football can be successful if the product is decent, the fan appetite is there. I'm not sure about USFL playing all games in Birmingham will build any kind of team following for fans in their "host cities," with games going head to head against MLB. It feels like a sham. It just seems really rushed to get on the field before the XFL tries again to soak up some of the media money. Now I'm laughing at myself thinking the XFL is somehow "more legit."

 

[isucy86]

Doesn't this pretty much screw the SEC and ESPN, meaning the media rights for an expanded CFP will now undoubtedly be up for bid amongst all networks?

It definitely throws the SEC a curve ball in adding OU/UT. No hurry in adding them to the SEC, so we could see both in the Big12 for 3 more years..

Not sure ESPN is all that concerned, unless they valued their upcoming SEC Media Rights deal knowing OU/UT would be in SEC.

I would think with a 12 team playoff, the thought might have been to split up the games to maximize revenue. Similar to NFL

 

[Cyforce]

Agree, 8 is the perfect number for an expanded CFP.

To me it's more about who gets auto bids and the max from an individual conference. 4 teams from the SEC out of 8 bids makes me sick.

 

[Gonzo]

To me it's more about who gets auto bids and the max from an individual conference. 4 teams from the SEC out of 8 bids makes me sick.

There's no way other conferences sign off on anything that opens the door for more than 2 SEC teams.

 

[HFCS]

In the current format I think a lot of years the SEC getting two teams is very easy to defend (this year was a prime example) Unless you come right out and say the playoff isn't about getting the best 4 teams.

If we had this format long enough though...at some point people would float 3 SEC teams which is just ridiculous and basically replaying the SEC conference and title game. Two SEC seasons, pointless.

I think nearly everyone agrees that 8 spots with 5 autobids is best...so of course it'll be 12 or 16 or something eventually. With 8 you can throw a bone to the non P5 and still have 2 at large spots to load the playoff with SEC teams and it's still pretty fair that way even with 2 or 3 SEC teams for all with a true path for everybody without including lots of teams that played themselves out in the regular season.

 

[CascadeClone]

Doesn't this pretty much screw the SEC and ESPN, meaning the media rights for an expanded CFP will now undoubtedly be up for bid amongst all networks?

I don't think I'd say "screw" but it is the failure of their plan to destroy the Big12 so OuT could go to SEC right away for free.

They wanted expanded playoff, OuT in the SEC, SEC getting 3-5 teams into an expanded CFP, and no more Big12 costs. And to get the expanded CFP inventory without having the cost bid up by competitors. So they missed that.

The SEC is fine, because getting 2 teams in every other year is still OK, and they don't owe OuT anything til whenever they actually show up. And if the rights get bid up higher due to Fox/CBS competing with ESPN in 2026, no problem, more revenue for SEC then too. The only downside for SEC is probably there will be limits on # of teams from 1 conference.