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ESPN and the College Football Playoff have agreed to a massive new rights deal that will keep the postseason format on the network through the 2031 season, according to a report from The Athletic.
ESPN and the playoff originally agreed in 2012 to a 12-year deal worth $5.64 billion, or roughly $470 million annually. That agreement expires after the 2025 season. According to The Athletic, the annual payout will be $608 million for the final two years of the original deal.
How much is ESPN’s deal with the College Football Playoff worth?
According to the report, the deal is for six years and $7.8 billion and makes ESPN the continued broadcast partner for the 12-team playoff, through the 2031 season. The expanded 12-team playoff format will begin during the 2024 season.
That makes the new agreement worth substantially more money for half the duration of the original deal, illustrating the outstanding success of the playoff and the increasing interest in the new format.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy celebrates after a first down during the third quarter against Washington in the College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium.
What this means for the playoff
While there are still items to be ticked off the to-do checklist, the completion of a new deal with ESPN removes one major hurdle before advancing into the 12-team era.
Before the new deal goes into effect, however, the playoff still must work through the nuts and bolts of the 12-team arrangement that was created before the dissolution of the Pac-12, which will occur after the end of this academic year.
The biggest unknown is how the playoff will approach the new Power Four and the number of at-large bids given to non-conference champions. While the playoff had indicated a desire to use a six plus six plan with the six top-rated conference winners and…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/report-espn-college-football-playoff-202113672.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-02-13 20:21:13
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