The College Football Playoff is one of the most exciting events of the sports year. The final three games of the college football season have brought us some classic moments. ESPN got the rights at launch, and they are not letting go. The two sides agreed to a six-year, $7.8 billion extension on Tuesday.
College Football Playoff, ESPN Agree To Extension
NEWS: ESPN and the College Football Playoff have reached a 6-year, $7.8 BILLION media rights extension for the expanded playoffs, @AndrewMarchand reports🤯https://t.co/YZy20OsK2L pic.twitter.com/ob7AhZi78n
— On3 (@On3sports) February 13, 2024
Andrew Marchand of The Atheltic reported the deal. The deal runs through the 2031-32 season and includes verbiage on the last two years of the current contract with the new 12-team playoff.
“The full contract’s completion is still contingent on CFP leaders finalizing details of the expanded format in the wake of the implosion of the Pac-12. The CFP’s management committee and board of managers have meetings scheduled for next week and continue to work through the complicated process of settling their outstanding issues.”
There are still some details to be figured out, but the deal is a foregone conclusion. The increase in games in the College Football Playoff makes the rights interesting, as the first-round games will be played at campus sites.
What Does This Mean For College Football?
ESPN is making sure they are the college football destination. Their College Gameday Show is the most popular in the country, and legendary head coach Nick Saban is joining the ranks. With the playoff games plus SEC football on the network, the Disney-owned company is making sure it corners the sports market. The amount of the deal speaks to how much money the extra games will make.
This season is the first year with 12 teams making the playoff. It should bring us more classic matchups and high-stakes games at the end of the season.