College Football Playoff opens talks with ESPN over possible 24-team field
The proposed expansion remains unapproved, with the Big Ten and SEC facing a 1 December deadline for a change to take effect next season.
College Football Playoff leaders have agreed to open a 30-day negotiating window with ESPN to assess the commercial case for expanding the field to 24 teams, according to ESPN.
The proposal is not a commitment to expansion. A new format could begin as early as 2027 if the CFP and ESPN reach agreement, while the Big Ten and SEC would need to settle the future structure by 1 December for a change to take effect next season.
The negotiations will examine whether an expanded playoff could replace revenue lost from dropping conference championship games and generate additional income. Sources cited by ESPN estimate the Power 4 conference championship games have media value of at least US$200 million, excluding ticketing, sponsorship and other event revenue.
The format under consideration would have no automatic qualifiers, with the 23 best teams joined by one Group of 6 place. The top eight teams would receive byes, followed by campus-hosted first- and second-round games.
ESPN holds the current playoff rights under a new six-year agreement, including the existing 11 games and the first two newly added games. If the field expands beyond 14 teams, ESPN has the exclusive first right to negotiate for the additional games, although any commercial terms remain unresolved.
The Big Ten raised the 24-team concept in February, while SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has said he is open to considering it. The negotiating window could open as soon as Wednesday, according to a source cited by ESPN.
