That’s not the reason they won’t expand now, though.
ESPN wouldn't necessarily have gotten a whole expanded playoffs. That was the thought at first but it was wrong. The early round games would have been out to bid and ESPN could have bid on those like anyone else. New playoff inventory (the expanded playoff games) weren't right of first refusal or anything exclusive for ESPN. Could have made hundreds of millions extra and lined up all the inventory, old and new, for 2026 and put it all to bid again.
That’s still leverage for ESPN, though. Some of these other entities were not going to pay full value for the early round games when, in effect, they would be spending huge amounts of money building interest in the playoff only to have ESPN truly benefit by having the semis and final.
It could have started around 2024. So about 2 years. Why wait if it's something that's good for the sport and allows more access, exposure and increases interest and makes a ton of money for everyone in the process. The thing is I can't think of what changes in 4 years except for the need for unanimity.
IMO it would have been fine and would be happening at the same time 3 conference packages are coming up for bid. Get a piece of a conference or two and also piece of the playoffs. Nice bundle of sports properties for a network.
I have no control over either so I'm not losing sleep over it either lol. It's just discussion. I am a college football fan though, not just a RU fan and I would have liked to see more teams in the playoffs...sooner the better but if it's not to be for now it's not to be.
It’s not happening but it’s not related to contracts. You had 9 of the 11 parties agreeing to it. The last two, the ACC and inexplicably the B10 held it up.
What changes in 4 years?? You haven't figured that out?? I told you it is about a specific contract. The ESPN current contract has them being the exclusive provider of the playoffs.
The early round playoff games wouldn’t have fallen under that. The semis, finals and the use of the NY bowls as playoff locations would have been under ESPN but the playoff games outside of that would have been out to bid to the open market. You could have lined it up and all the new and old inventory could come out to bid in 2026. Passed on an extra 450 million dollars in the meantime.
Haha again, you said the school presidents were the decision makers. As in they were gonna go to every school President and hesr from them. Its just not true
Dude. There is no expanded playoffs without ESPN approval!! Period. What part of exclusive don't you understand?
I’ve read it in multiple articles that they own the inventory that encompasses the NY6 bowls (whether they’re part of the playoffs or not) and the semis and finals. The first round games are new inventory and could be put out to bid for any network to bid on. There’s no exclusivity or right of first refusal for those games.
Hey dumbass the President's just sunk your guarantee of a 12 team playoff. LoL!!
Wrong a 1000% wrong. ESPN drives the bus on expansion. They own the exclusive rights to the playoffs. They can not be changed by an expanded playoffs system without them agreeing to it.
Well that’s what I’ve read and that’s with reporters talking to people who are consultants and experts in the industry.
You said that the CFP wouldnt make the decision, the presidents of schools would haha. I specifically even said so jonathan holloway? Youre trying hard here, its cute
They aren't saying anything you are about ESPN's control of the playoffs. They control the playoffs period. Nothing in what you posted disputes that at all.
They just did!! Holloway isn't on the board. The board is made up by the Presidents of colleges. You are soo stupid. And forget the Presidents.
9 of 11 conferences agreeing to it is in effect a 2-2 tie.
You are not going to get close to full value for early round games that lead to ESPN being rewarded with the semis/finals every year.
B12 is a P5 they will still be included in anything but they won’t get the same money from the networks anymore. G5 matters because if you exclude a large swath of schools from any chance at least in name then you’re inviting government involvement. Bowlsby or Sankey or both essentially said that when he was talking about why auto bids for the P5 wasn’t a good idea.
Besides that ESPN isn't willing to losing a top 4 ranked team before the semis and finals. They are paying for the top 4 teams. I just don't understand why people can't figure that out.
I’m a huge fan of the current system. Dark horse take. It stays like it is.
It isn’t about excluding them, it is about not giving a shit that they want to expand now, because they don’t have the same priorities as a conference like the B1G. The G5 is desperate for money now, while the B1G makes decisions that maximize their income long term.
The presidents were the ones who pushed this through. The commissioners were fouling everything up. The presidents on the board of managers headed by the Miss State prez Mark Keenum iirc said we’re doing this, voted on it and then tossed it back to the commissioners to finish off the details.
Why so we can watch a bunch of exhibition games with half the players opting out? Sure realistically they may not have a chance to win the tournament but it sure better than what we have now. I rather see Tennessee at Alabama play in the first round over Alabama play K State in the sugar with 14 guys opting out.
Thank god. The sooner we get rid of the current system the better.
