ESPN secures 'handshake agreement' to broadcast 24-team CFP, sources say — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- ESPN reached a "handshake agreement" with the College Football Playoff to broadcast a 24-team playoff beginning in the 2027 season, with the network paying an average additional $345 million annually over five years on top of its existing ~$1.3 billion per year under the six-year, $7.8 billion deal signed in March 2024.
- The proposed 24-team field would include 19 at-large bids, the four Power 4 conference champions, and the highest-ranked Group of 6 team, with seeds 1-8 earning a first-round bye followed by a home game and seeds 9-16 hosting first-round games.
- The expanded format is also expected to eliminate Power 4 conference championship games and start the season a week earlier, with the New Year's Six bowls (Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, Cotton) hosting quarterfinals and semifinals and the national championship remaining in January.
- Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, whose conference has been the driving force behind the 24-team push, pushed back against the idea that expansion devalues the regular season, pointing to "tiered incentives" built into the system.
- The agreement still requires board approval across all involved parties, and ESPN and the CFP had opened a 30-day negotiation window on Sept. 9 that closed Oct. 9 before talks continued through this week.
Why it matters: The handshake deal would double the playoff field just two seasons after it tripled from 4 to 12 teams, with ESPN adding an average $345 million per year — roughly 27% more on top of its existing $1.3 billion annual payment. The Big Ten-driven restructuring also eliminates Power 4 conference championship games, fundamentally reshuffling how top conferences structure their seasons and reward their champions.
Ask SkimNews
