The Bowl 9 Conference and the University of Notre Dame reached an agreement Friday on a six-year deal that will continue the College Football Playoff through the 2031 season. This is an important step in establishing a revenue sharing plan and allowing CFP to finalize media rights agreements.
Executive director Bill Hancock said the agreement does not lock in the format of the CFP beyond 2026, but it does ensure a field of at least 12 teams and five conferences will have annual access to the playoffs through 2031. .
This season's playoffs have been expanded from four teams to 12 teams, with the field consisting of the top five conference champion teams, regardless of league, and seven at-large teams.
“Other formatting decisions will be made in due course,” Hancock said.
Hancock said the number of teams participating in the CFP could increase further as the current contract with ESPN ends after the 2025 season, but there are no plans at this time and there is no need to rush into a decision.
Hancock said the conference commissioners who govern the CFP may want to let next season be played and evaluate the first iteration of the 12-team model.
“We're going to take a deep breath, take a step back and start a conversation whenever it's appropriate,” he said.
Hancock said the Pac-12, which is scheduled to operate as a two-team league next season with only Washington State and Oregon State, did not sign the deal because of the uncertainty beyond 2025.
The CFP recently introduced a rule that states a conference must have at least eight teams to qualify for the playoffs.
CFP has reached an agreement in principle with ESPN on a new media rights deal worth $7.8 billion, with the value of the last two years of the current 12-year contract adjusted to take into account the number of playoff games, extending to 2031. It is expected to be extended.
The CFP could not complete its deal unless the conference first agreed to playoff participation and a revenue-sharing plan.
“We're still negotiating with ESPN,” Hancock said. “We are encouraged about the position we are in. But we still have work to do.”
Mr. Hancock declined to provide details of the revenue-sharing agreement.
As previously reported and confirmed by The Associated Press, the SEC and Big Ten will receive more than 50% of the CFP revenue distributed, with the ACC and Big 12 together taking about 30% and the Group of Five Conferences and Notes taking the rest. Ludam Cathedral will receive it. .
“This agreement is a very important next step for CFP,” Hancock said. “This allows fans to continue to enjoy postseason soccer tournaments and watch the best teams in the country compete for a national championship.”
