[Dinich] The CFP has reached a handshake deal with ESPN to broadcast a 24-team CFP beginning in 2027, a source told ESPN. There is still a lot of work to be done to formalize the deal on paper

[u/FlareEK]

https://www.espn.com/contributor/heather-dinich/d2fa74cab04d9

[u/ConstantMadness]

So Fox (and CBS and NBC to some extent) begins the push for the 24 team playoff so that they could try to get some playoff games and improve their inventory, and end up with nothing. What an own goal

[u/jayjude → u/ConstantMadness]

Im really fascinated how Fox will let this stand

[u/BenIsLowInfo → u/jayjude]

I don't get how the Big 10 is fine having the SECs network run the whole process.

Also ESPN already doesn't air all the playoff ganes

[u/Legal-Letterhead4192 → u/BenIsLowInfo]

No, but they do own the rights to all of the playoff games, they just license to TNT

[u/WhatAmIDoingHere05 → u/Legal-Letterhead4192]

The other networks will want a piece of the pie and will probably start a bidding war to broadcast some of those games. Mickey Mouse recoups some money back, Disney wins again.

[u/zg44 → u/BenIsLowInfo]

It's only for 5 years. Big Ten/FOX will probably make their move in 2031 when the full 24 team CFP rights go up to bid.

At that point, the SEC will also be incentivized to push for multiple buyers to try to get more money out of it as well.

They're just playing the long game here by expanding now and using the next couple of years as a showcase.

[u/jputna → u/zg44]

This was the original deal too and when the 12 team cfp started. Any changes to it added time to the espn deal….this is literally the first year that hasn’t been a change to it since the 12 team cfp started.

[u/sonheungwin → u/BenIsLowInfo]

I don't think the Big 10 has a choice. The rich have bitten off more than they can chew, and need a way to pay for everything. The reality is with the death of bowl games, a lot of teams lost everything they were playing for with a post-season out of vision. By cutting out the G6 and expanding the playoffs, the P4 preserved itself in the short term at the expense of the long term future. That said, it can be resolved along the way if we pull our collective heads out of our asses.

[u/Im_Not_Really_Here_ → u/sonheungwin]

it can be resolved along the way if we pull our collective heads out of our asses.

So we're fucked

[u/moffattron9000 → u/BenIsLowInfo]

The original contract was always that ESPN has the right of first refusal. If ESPN offered enough to get it to 24, ESPN was always going to keep it.

[u/Jay_Dubbbs → u/jayjude]

There’s no way they aren’t showing some of the games. ESPN can barely show the full 12-team playoff now due to basketball contracts, they’ve already farmed out games last year

[u/LonghornInNebraska → u/Jay_Dubbbs]

Espn 8 The Ocho

[u/buckshot-307 → u/LonghornInNebraska]

Surprisingly good shows on there now that they’ve leaned into it.

[u/BUDDHAKHAN → u/Jay_Dubbbs]

Oh you have t purchased The Hulu/Espn playoff experience. You better bet you will be in a couple years

[u/Feisty_Can416 → u/Jay_Dubbbs]

Yea this was the real opening Fox saw and I don’t think there’s any proof ESPN has a fix for it yet. December is super bloated for them.

Nobody can stop ESPN from pretending the deal is about to be inked as a pressure tactic. They all signed NDAs. I’d be really surprised if they don’t take the rights to market this time. If not, Fox got played for fools

[u/kyrev21 → u/Feisty_Can416]

The more likely situation is ESPN sub licensing games to Fox like they do with TNT. ESPN isn’t going to lie about the negotiations

[u/TheNewGuy13 → u/ConstantMadness]

Can’t the networks threaten fines for fewer games if they lose out on them?

Either way it’s crazy that ESPN gets a monopoly on the CFP. Wild

[u/NonAthlete6232 → u/TheNewGuy13]

ESPN owns the SEC, ACC, and other Conference Champ games for next several years. Those have to be bought out for a 24 team playoff.

So I’m guessing this is the compromise instead of buying out those games.

[u/Rough_Cup_6762]

Our age of bronze is collapsing

[u/Hammered_Time → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

Shouldn't have broken Zeus's law

[u/Sea_Spend_8008 → u/Hammered_Time]

Get these Beggars out of here! Looking at you ACC.

[u/Hammered_Time → u/Sea_Spend_8008]

Zeus's law is all P4 teams must join a conference. Looking at you ND

[u/xenocide0909 → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

Someone get these conference commissioners outta here!

[u/JBOZ758 → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

Damn sea peoples.

[u/Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu11 → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

I think it already has unfortunately.

[u/TanTanMan → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

Fuckin sea peoples

[u/dbatchison → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

I blame the sea peoples

[u/PunchNessie → u/Rough_Cup_6762]

Welcome to the new “Gilded Age”.

[u/DanReed85]

A source told ESPN that ESPN has agreed to broadcast the playoff?

[u/BoredofBored → u/DanReed85]

Sources are saying this is a great day for ESPN, and therefore the world

[u/duckduckgo2100]

And yet the Florida Gators STILL won't make it in.

[u/QuattroBaj33na → u/duckduckgo2100]

Subscribe

[u/FlareEK → u/QuattroBaj33na]

it’s not cool when you say it, Georgia

[u/TheRoyalCyclone]

Oh fuck right off

Also, Fox has to be piiiiissed

[u/SirMellencamp → u/TheRoyalCyclone]

Fox got played on this. They didnt think ESPN would go after the expanded rights

[u/UsuallyFavorable → u/SirMellencamp]

Fox talking heads are about to switch up so hard on the expanded playoff. After hyping up the B1G’s 24-team playoff for months, they’re about to say expansion was a mistake.

(Because expansion was their foot in the door, and now they’ll have to bid super hard in 2031, and money is the only reason anyone says anything on TV.)

[u/SirMellencamp → u/UsuallyFavorable]

ABC/ESPN is not gonna let them in that door. Same thing as happened with Monday Night Football. ABC vastly overpays for that because they saw what losing the NFL did to CBS and NBC in the 90s.

[u/Doomas_ → u/SirMellencamp]

The difference is that ESPN/ABC has a massive regular season catalogue for CFB. One Monday Night Football game per week is the only piece of inventory (for the most part). That being said, I imagine they will massively overpay for CFB Playoff exclusivity.

[u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 → u/SirMellencamp]

I think they say "womp womp" these days in this sort of situation.

Fox getting fucked is the only good thing about this.

[u/FlankTheGrain2913 → u/TheRoyalCyclone]

CBS and NBC as well; those networks thought with the CFP field this big now, surely there’d be more collab among the OTA networks.

Nope; ESPN has that Disney bread 🍞 backing them with the little assistance from Turner.

[u/THEUnicornBear]

Boooooooooo

[u/Hougie → u/THEUnicornBear]

It’s the American dream to earn enough that you have the power to make sure you’re always going to earn more

[u/otoverstoverpt → u/THEUnicornBear]

hisssssss

[u/theasfldotcom → u/THEUnicornBear]

urns.

Wait, sorry, bad habit. I also don’t like this but have come to accept it. I wonder what this sport will look like in ten years.

[u/Bismarck913 → u/theasfldotcom]

I don't think we'll win another Natty anytime soon.

[u/MikeyRocks757]

College football had so many things that made it special and unique. While I do agree that players should be compensated for all the money they create for the schools, it’s now literally just become NFL on Saturday.

College football as we knew and loved it is dead

[u/FireMike_PleaseGod → u/MikeyRocks757]

I am more upset about flow of the game.

The second the playoffs were introduced the bowl games and conference championships didn’t mean to much.

Rivalry games still matter, regular season still matters. It’s just the highest of the high end teams regular seasons matter less but the 10-25 seeds every week still matters a lot.

But damn is it hard to watch these games. 3.5hrs long and the commercial lengths are brutal. Score, commercial, kick, commercial, receive, commercial. It creates a really bad product if teams are only doing 4-6 plays a series because of the commercial breaks. My wife refuses to watch college because of it.

[u/arstin → u/FireMike_PleaseGod]

For the last 3-4 years, I only watch games on my computer. Put it up on the second monitor and play a video game or do some work in the other monitor. Some times I don't even bother listening to the announcers any more, they are all so vapid and would rather talk about some player's favorite cereal or whatever the network is pimping that day than the play that just happened.

[u/Mynameisdiehard → u/FireMike_PleaseGod]

Yep. Games don't matter because any power team with 3 or less losses are in for sure. Games also take over 4 fucking hours now. As someone who used to watch football all day and night on Saturday, I only tune in for my team and maybe have whatever prime game is playing in the evening on in the background while I clean or cook

[u/ducksflytogether1988 → u/FireMike_PleaseGod]

Another reason why NFL is superior. They run such a tight ship when it comes to time

[u/FireMike_PleaseGod → u/ducksflytogether1988]

She loves the NFL. Better product (as in talent level) and they don’t mess around on time. They are greedy but also recognize to keep 19M people watching every game you can’t gauge them with commercials.

[u/Old_Fun_9430 → u/FireMike_PleaseGod]

The nfl also realized they would lose money if the games had more commercials that’s why it’s ran so tightly. College football hasn’t hit that point yet

[u/southernfacingslope → u/FireMike_PleaseGod]

I honestly refuse to watch any sports live because of the commercials. Sucks because sometimes I end up hearing the final result but I’ll be damned if I slog through the ads.

[u/sinocarD44 → u/southernfacingslope]

Soccer is the best for not having commercials followed by basketball and hockey.

[u/Fraegtgaortd → u/MikeyRocks757]

The NFL has a semblance of parity. A 9-8 NFL team that makes the playoffs because they’re in a crappy division usually still has a chance to win against a higher seed. Three or 4 loss college teams that get a playoff bid and face a top 8 team will get smoked almost every time

[u/S_B_5038 → u/Fraegtgaortd]

On the flipside college football still has the potential for genuinely shocking upsets. Doesn’t really exist in the NFL anymore.

[u/Wise_Rip_1982 → u/MikeyRocks757]

It's just shitty nfl lol

[u/lookieherehere]

It's amazing how much this sport has changed in such a short time. I realize change is inevitable and nothing ever stays the same, but this sport is quickly becoming unrecognizable to me. I guess I'm not the target audience anymore and that's just part of life. This is all obviously about generating more money and not about what's good for the sport and the athletes involved. It will be interesting to see if things are "better" a decade down the road.

[u/SuperDoubleDecker → u/lookieherehere]

Idk who the target market for sports is anymore besides the gambling addicts.

[u/lookieherehere → u/SuperDoubleDecker]

Legalizing sports gambling was wrong. I was in favor of it, but I never thought it would be this way. Unfortunately, that genie is never going back into the bottle, because too many people are making too much money off of it.

[u/titanup001 → u/lookieherehere]

Philosophically, I was in favor of it. People in a free society should be able to do what they want if it’s not hurting others.

But in reality, this is a catastrophe coming down the tracks. An entire generation of young men is going to be destroyed by this. I hear it’s already happening in high school and college age kids.

[u/lookieherehere → u/titanup001]

It's already a big problem I see a lot with younger guys. I'm gonna sound old here but "in my day" you had to physically meet the bookie and pay off your debt. Otherwise you had someone looking for you, sometimes with ill intent. That kind of negative feedback doesn't exist with clicking numbers on a screen and making a bank account number go down or a credit card balance go up.

[u/ChepaukPitch → u/titanup001]

Cigarettes are legal but they can’t be advertised and packaging has to be in a certain way and so on. Why can’t we take the same approach with gambling?

[u/HungryHedgehog8299 → u/titanup001]

Its absolutely happening in college. Its not even enjoyable to be around some of them. its essentially like going to a bar with an alcoholic

[u/Radiant_Pass_6439 → u/titanup001]

Highschooler here. Every white kid with any sort of money at my school has been on sports betting apps for over a year. Wins and losses are less important than catches, who's scoring the TDs, yards gained, and all that jazz.

[u/enjoytheshow → u/SuperDoubleDecker]

They’ve always been a target market and now they’ve become the target market.

[u/discofrislanders → u/SuperDoubleDecker]

Gambling addicts, rich people, and TV executives. Everyone else can get fucked.

[u/amichols561 → u/lookieherehere]

I’m not really sure who their target audience is anymore. I’m 30 and live in Atlanta. My friend group and peerset are college football fanatics and everyone I know is slowly losing interest.

[u/ducksflytogether1988 → u/amichols561]

I played at TCU in the glory years 2007 to 2011. Me and many of my former teammates are all on a group text, the group text used to be so active year round about all things TCU football, now its a graveyard. Barely any actual football discussion anymore. We've tuned out

[u/ID_Poobaru]

This is worse than Nevada winning a game

[u/uplifted_dragon → u/ID_Poobaru]

HEY

Looking at recent history, it's hard to refute you, but HEY

[u/Test-Majestic]

Man.. if your team made a BCS bowl that used to be a great season. Beating your rival/winning a conference championship used to be enough to be proud of your team.

Now everything seems championship or bust.

[u/kelly495 → u/Test-Majestic]

My hot take is that the BCS is where everything began going of the rails. Once you start going down the "championship or bust" route, this is where you end up. We should be at one extreme or the other. I'd prefer pre-BCS... maybe BCS title game was okay.

Once you start having any playoff, the other bowls start not mattering -- see ND declining last year -- so you need to end up with something like this to replace what used to be fun games like the Outback and Capital One bowls.

[u/sunburntredneck → u/kelly495]

Title game only is the worst possible universe. Yes, worse than 24. Also much worse than letting polls pick a champion. There are almost never exactly two national championship contenders. The usual range is 3 to 6 teams. But with a BCS title game, everyone gets tricked into thinking there are only two.

[u/Pyromania1983 → u/sunburntredneck]

That and like, it's so much harder to compare who should have made it. Could have 4 or 5 teams with the same record and similar resumes. Better to leave it on the field and figure it out than leave it arbitrarily to human error or to a computer.

[u/Zskillit → u/Test-Majestic]

Devils advocate.

With the expanded playoff theres now more meaningful bowls than ever. All the top non-playoff teams were wrecked with opt outs. Probably wont happen anymore. That is one of the few good things.

[u/Nervous_Otter69]

Behind every shitty decision in college sports is a Disney/ESPN exec

[u/inlawBiker]

The higher education institutions of this country let the wolves into the hen-house and they're never leaving.

[u/New-Sheepherder2239]

Why was Heather Dinich forced upon the college football world as some kind of expert. I’ll never understand this

[u/TrubshawForest → u/New-Sheepherder2239]

She says what the mouse wants her to

[u/gmr548 → u/New-Sheepherder2239]

She literally just showed up as the CFP committee whisperer. An obvious plant.

That’s not to say anything against her personally because I have nothing bad to say, the whole arrangement is bleh.

[u/mr-rile-u-up → u/New-Sheepherder2239]

She used to be the worst ACC beat writer too.

[u/mlakustiak]

After thinking about it and looking at previous rankings. The 24 team should work if the committee follows their previous precedent of 2-4 G5 schools in the Top 24.

They however likely won’t now that they know 24 teams make the playoffs so there needs to be a way to hold them accountable. Introduction of a new BCS ranking or something like that

[u/wareagle2009-20013]

Is espn the new ncaa? Why are they solely in charge of the playoffs?

[u/CloudConductor → u/wareagle2009-20013]

The CFP is actually not managed by the ncaa funny enough

[u/Key_Spinach]

Who do we blame for this mess? Besides ESPN.

[u/prismatic_lights → u/Key_Spinach]

Well depending on how far back you want to go this is ultimately Rutgers’s fault for inventing the sport

[u/hwf0712 → u/prismatic_lights]

Hey now, we suck really hard this year so now all of a sudden history has changed to make us not the birthplace of CFB.

(IDK why it shifts based off of our performance, but if its going to I'm gonna use it to dodge accountability)

[u/Hougie → u/prismatic_lights]

Hmm yeah that is pretty fucked of Rutgers now that you mention it

[u/gmr548 → u/Key_Spinach]

NCAA vs OU in 1984 is the root.

[u/soulsides → u/gmr548]

For all the sarcasm in this thread, this is actually the one right answer.

College football turning into a minor professional league was all but inevitable once the money tipped past a certain point. Even schools that ideologically were opposed to these changes felt as if they didn’t have much of a choice to go along because they didn’t want to get left behind.

I have a hard time blaming ESPN for this, if only because they couldn’t have forced colleges to agree to this without colleges wanting it

Honestly, I’m surprised it even took this long.

[u/whitedynamite81 → u/Key_Spinach]

I mean all the reporting was big ten and fox were pushing this for more inventory because they thought espn wouldn’t shell out for the extra games and they would get to bid on the playoffs. Can’t wait to hear the reporting on what actually went down.

[u/Straight_Bed2763 → u/Key_Spinach]

Agents who pushed the "player empowerment" trojan horse about 10 years ago that led to mass optouts -> bowls becoming deemed worthless -> natty or bust -> hey thats not fair i want a shot

[u/Key_Spinach → u/Straight_Bed2763]

Also the narrative that universities, that can't even afford to pay full time teaching staff and are continually raising tuition, are somehow making money hand over fist off college athletes.

[u/Programmer-Boi → u/Key_Spinach]

I blame the SEC and B1G, possibly even Saban because I’m feeling spiteful

[u/PokesBo → u/Programmer-Boi]

Yup.

ESPN, SEC, and Big Ten killed it.

[u/hwf0712 → u/Key_Spinach]

The average joe for liking this.

The unfortunate truth is just that people want to watch big names against big names.

[u/Competitive-Rise-789 → u/Key_Spinach]

The media persons who said bowl games were meaningless. It made a playoff or bust mindset for a lot of programs

[u/osumba2003]

I remember when the NCAA and schools were against this because it was too many games for the players and bad for their health. "This isn't the NFL!"

Now it's cool because...money.

[u/thribbitthrobbit]

Watch them move the Championship game to a Wednesday

[u/526mb]

I wanted a playoff, hell I wanted a 8-12 team playoff. I didn’t want this bullshit.

[u/notthesupremecourt]

As a Big 12 fan, why should I be mad?

[u/Zskillit → u/notthesupremecourt]

In all honesty, this will only really disappoint the fans of the perennial contender blue bloods out there. For team like Ohio state whose disaster season is 9-3, they'll always make the playoffs. So the regular season will be significantly diminished for me. There's nothing at stake, there's no sense of urgency. The ranked games and out of conference games will still be exciting, but not that hand shaking heart pounding stuff. Im going to miss it. Feelings like the season was over week 5, lol.

For all the other fans of mid-tier P4 teams, its going to be awesome. Those games mean more now, deeper into the season.

I wouldn't be surprised if there is a noticeable decrease in viewership and some of the marquee matchups now, but an increase for your top 15-40 type schools.

[u/BroJackson_]

Literally nobody is asking for this

[u/CrawlerCoolie]

Fuck the CFP, fuck the SEC, fuck the B1G, fuck the NCAA, fuck ESPN, fuck putting profit ahead of everything else.

I truly want this to blowup in their face somehow.

[u/Schmenza → u/CrawlerCoolie]

With college sports becoming professional league we should let the NFL have Saturday's back. Let that TV money disappear and college football will go back to normal

[u/SecretiveMop → u/Schmenza]

I really wonder if the NFL would now consider challenging the law that prevents them from broadcasting on Friday and Saturday. The whole point was that they weren’t allowed to interfere with the broadcast of amateur football to keep their monopoly status. Well, how much of an amateur sport is college football now?

[u/OSUBonanza → u/CrawlerCoolie]

It will, in the next decade there will be a lockout. Schools/boosters won't like the transfer portal or lack of salary cap on NIL.

[u/Brandon_tuns]

So schedule wise how the hell does this work!? No conference championships, shorter regular season, season goes on for longer?

[u/ThotMobile → u/Brandon_tuns]

They almost certainly are not looking to make the regular season shorter. Always ask, 'how can we make more money' to put yourself in the shoes of these execs and then the answer becomes clear: more games per season of course.

[u/LeFacilitator]

bbbbut what about final exams!?!?!?!?!?

[u/heleghir]

And bowl games are dead for half the country. Sure some small school is still going to love going 7-5 and going to any bowl. But a middle P4 team thst gors 8-4? Stuff like the Citrus bowl, or Outback bowl are kinda dead with this change. The teams that would be in those games now are possibly in cfp or just outside it.

[u/aero142 → u/heleghir]

The bowls already died when it expanded past 4. The big group pushing for 24 team playoff is the rest of CFB teams that would never make a 12 team and now have no meaningful post-season. 24 teams gives them a change to make the playoff every once in a while and be part of this whole thing.

[u/PatronSaintOfCunts → u/heleghir]

If this kills the PopTarts Bowl, I believe we should organize a general strike in this country.

[u/PeebMcBeeb → u/PatronSaintOfCunts]

We should do that anyway

[u/one98d → u/PatronSaintOfCunts]

"Oh won't you be more excited for a BYU/Georgia Tech game being a potential playoff game now"

NO GODDAMN IT. WE ALL WATCHED IT BC IT WAS THE POP-TARTS BOWL.

[u/ElJefeApex → u/heleghir]

Those bowls were already dead when the playoff was created to begin with. It’s sad but it’s true.

[u/mayence → u/ElJefeApex]

Eh I think the "respectable but not premier" bowls like Citrus, Outback, Holiday, Music City, Poptarts etc. were doing fine. The bowls that took the biggest hits (before they were consumed by the 12 game playoff) were the non-playoff NY6 since they no longer featured the best of the conferences.

[u/Dry-Membership3867 → u/heleghir]

Hey now, we will gladly take a citrus bowl at 10-2. Because we already know the CFP will fuck us and the rest of the g6 over

[u/cardinalsfan1234]

I remember a few years back the big soccer leagues tried to form a super league and there was such widespread backlash they ended up calling it off. I wish there was someway the same thing could happen with this but I know it's inevitable.

[u/Hougie → u/cardinalsfan1234]

Fan involvement in European soccer is much higher. A lot of clubs actually have partial fan ownership that can have real impact.

[u/Fragrant_Plant39]

“So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.”

[u/TrumpDumper → u/Fragrant_Plant39]

I’d love to see Liberty go away.

[u/PatronSaintOfCunts]

Nobody wants this.

[u/Glycoside]

The more they expand the playoffs, the more it becomes natty focused for everybody. I know bowl games aren’t perfect but ending your season with a post season W did make things fun for the non-power-natty-or-bust teams. The season should have regional rivalries being a big deal (which is sadly long gone now) and NY6 conference v conference bowl games being the crown at the end of the season. 

It took a bit for me to be good with the 12 team playoff, cause originally I thought even that was too much. It’s kind of fallen to what I expected: winning a NY6 bowl game just doesn’t mean much anymore, and a win is superseded by the next game. 

Even if you had a loss or two or three, ending your season in a huge bowl game win was the cherry on top, but now if you win one, you move to the next and most likely end your super high season on an L.

Doesn’t feel right to me, but money is quickly taking over everything and the entire vibe of college football is vastly different than it was a decade ago. I’ll just learn to get used to it

[u/DaBlakMayne → u/Glycoside]

To be honest, bowl games have been on life support for a while now. There's too many of them

[u/Glycoside → u/DaBlakMayne]

You’re not wrong, I was pissed to even see Pitt in a bowl game after losing 6 games in a row. 6-6 bowl games didn’t seem worth it to me. 

[u/TechnicolorTypeA → u/DaBlakMayne]

Not only that, some of these bowl games don’t even have their best players even in it.

[u/mostdope28]

Fuck espn

[u/54-2-10]

This is bullshit 

I am boycotting ESPN, starting with College Game Day tomorrow morning, wherever it is.

[u/GridPenaltyStan]

Bowl games are dead, Conference Championships are dead, Conferences are pretty much dead at this point too, you’ll see teams resting starters the week before the playoff. Rivalries are more meaningless. You’ll see 4 loss teams make it if they have the name “Alabama” or “Texas” in their name. lol and schools still want to cap how much athletes make in NIL, not let them collectively bargain, not classify them as employees, and create a salary cap. It’s getting ridiculous.

[u/NeverDieKris → u/GridPenaltyStan]

Wait till an undefeated/1 loss OSU plays an undefeated/1 loss Michigan at the end of the season and both teams rest their starters. That will be the official death nail in traditional college football. It’s over folks. This is it.

[u/donald-duck23]

One day people will realize college football was best with no playoff at all.

[u/Conorcane12]

it’s hilarious that literally almost everyone doesn’t want this and it’s going to hurt the sport. yet the people in power literally, do. not. care. it’s almost poetic

[u/MarchSadness90]

Classic Friday news dump.

[u/Dasher383]

Now Lane can actually make a playoff to leave us right before

[u/Strakedev]

No way, what a shocker. The harbinger of college football death gets a nice payday.

[u/Impressive-Weird-908]

Just so the 25th team can whine and complain? Come on guys this is just ridiculous.

[u/Test-Majestic → u/Impressive-Weird-908]

Fine… how about we do a 25-48th ranked play-in tournament to get the final few seeds! /s

[u/GPUfollowr77]

I’d love to hear the pros from someone in favor of the deal. Seriously.

[u/zg44 → u/GPUfollowr77]

According to the people in favor it's because there's loads of teams spending tens of millions on rosters now with nothing to show for it.

There's 60 teams spending at least $20 million a year so 12 spots isn't enough.

Even at the high end, there's at least 30 spending $25 million a year.

(This is not my argument, it's what the people in favor are saying and there are a LOT of Big Ten/SEC/ACC/Big 12 administrators that agree - especially those whose teams are more likely to have a shot at getting top 24 spots even if they aren't favored to ever win a national championship).

[u/FelixEvergreen → u/GPUfollowr77]

I’m not pro 24 teams, but bowls were pretty much dead as soon as they expanded beyond 4 teams and the FCS 24 team tournament seems to work fine. If anything I guess it gives post season football more meaning for lower ranked teams.

[u/Appropriate-Joke-806]

Nobody wants this.

[u/EmuMan10]

Welp I’m glad ASU won a conference championship while they still meant something

[u/frickenWaaaltah]

This will be the thing that kills the golden goose if they do it. They are trying to make people think it's inevitable but it's not, because people are already pretty close to being fed up with college football.

I want meaningful regular season games and conference championships and if they try this I'm out and I'm not joking and I've done it before. There's always something else to do. I had planned to stick with college football at least until Kirby Smart retires but if they do this I doubt I'll talk myself into putting up with it anymore.

[u/Geno0wl → u/frickenWaaaltah]

I am already watching less this year than before. This just solidifies the regular season as meaningless.

[u/antelope591]

Kinda crazy how quick we went to the NFL regular season meaning more than CFB regular season lol.....the argument for CFB was always how much reg season meant.

[u/osum_o_posum]

CFB is being killed by the greedy, just like most things these days.

[u/Feisty_Can416]

“still subject to board approval from all involved parties - but another important step closer to it becoming reality”

Welcome to corporate negotiation signaling 101 everybody.

If it hasn’t passed the commissioner vote, there’s no imminent deal, but there is a scared ESPN trying to frame it that way. Yesterday the commissioners criticized the offer when presented with it and did not vote on it. They signed NDAs and can’t comment on it, so they’re a captive audience right now.

[u/tommy40]

Well there goes my enjoyment of college football

[u/mattatattat45]

ESPN spinning this that they won’t make more money and this is all about allowing other teams to have a chance is hilarious. They are saying this was all the conferences doing and not about the TV money. What a joke!

[u/SirMellencamp]

I dont think ESPN even wanted this. They loved the SEC championship game and the ratings from the first round are going to be average at best. I think they felt forced to to protect their status

[u/greyforest23 → u/SirMellencamp]

Excuse me while I shed a tear for this poor small business just trying to make ends meet.

[u/slagathor_zimblebob]

Not saying this is the end and I’ll never watch again, because I don’t necessarily think that, but it certainly is disappointing that they saw 90% of fans say no to this and then said “fuck it, let’s do it anyway” purely for cash

[u/JakeSteeleIII → u/slagathor_zimblebob]

Where’s the 90% coming from? Like not being an ass…where’s the number from bc I haven’t heard anything on how many want it vs don’t?

[u/DCBronzeAge]

Has a sport gotten worse as quickly as college football. ?

[u/mattpsx2 → u/DCBronzeAge]

March madness is also expanding to 76 teams. Those bids should go to mid majors but we know that ain't happening.

[u/PshhhhhhhUnreal]

What a joke

[u/SimilarOnion1655]

FOX, NBC, CBS. Please, at least one

[u/Global_Afternoon_343]

can’t wait till it expands to 48 teams in 3 years and we have Georgia playing North Dakota state

[u/Arkehn]

Take me back to the 2000s

[u/84breaks → u/Arkehn]

And then we’ll all complain about the computer that creates the bowl games again?

[u/HortonHearsTheWho → u/84breaks]

The computer has AI now, it will hallucinate nonexistent schools

[u/skippy_smooth → u/HortonHearsTheWho]

I'll have you know I went to THE Snohio University

[u/Marklar172]

Do you think we're going to start seeing players on playoff teams skip the playoff for draft prep?  If you're a first round prospect on a 22 seed, you gotta know its a pointless game for you, right?

[u/Doctor_Saved → u/Marklar172]

Unless you think a great performance and moving a few spots up potentially is worth it.

[u/Cdog923 → u/Marklar172]

No, but people are going to lose their minds when OSU rests their starters for the Michigan game.

[u/LemonHarangue → u/Marklar172]

Idk, they were skipping their bowls anyway.

[u/chrisxxxlee]

BOOO THIS MAN BOOOOOOOO

[u/Clutch_Pineapple49]

McAfee defended this on his show yesterday along with AJ and the rest of the boys. 🤮🤮🤮

[u/deadtofall12 → u/Clutch_Pineapple49]

No doubt. Just as the ESPN talking heads (except Booger, god bless him) defended leaving FSU out of the playoffs. They're all shills for the mouse.

[u/Alpine_Exchange_36]

Someone tell me this is all a fever dream and tomorrow things will return to normal….

[u/samhit_n]

Half the Big Ten and SEC will make the playoffs now.

[u/anxiousauditor]

So the whole bit about needing to hit 24 to open the field to additional networks was another Reddit fib? Good deal.

[u/TarnishedAccount]

UCF would’ve loved this in 2017 and 2018

UCF died for this

[u/skeptical-speculator]

why not just have year round football at this point

[u/A-Centrifugal-Force]

Welcome back gilded age I guess. Disney continues to effectively control the playoff of America’s second most popular sport and will now reliably get most of the major brands from their partner conference the SEC into the field every year

Might as well play the championship game at Disney World at this point

[u/SBWNxx_]

This seems exhausting

[u/Big-Yellow49]

Fuck ESPN. Pure greed

[u/PoneyExpresss]

I think this is gonna ruin some of the things I grew up loving about college football. It felt like the regular season games were so important before, the rivalries were all that mattered to me. If we beat OSU and Texas and won 10 games I was happy. Now it just doesn't matter quite as much...

[u/ksig84]

This is a lot like the NFL international games. Nobody wants it but you’re going to get it anyways.

[u/DaBlakMayne]

I hate it, 12 was working. 24 is letting way too many teams in imo

[u/rocket_beer → u/DaBlakMayne]

All while keeping the G6 out

Mandatory 10 P4 games?

How will it be possible for us to have a stronger SOS?

I seriously want to play 1 of each P4 every year as our OOC schedule

[u/daygoe]

Why even bother with a regular season? Let’s just start a 128 team bracket from the very beginning with all the FBS teams!

[u/imnotsure3467]

I don't think a 24 team playoff is inherently a bad thing, I think it's a different direction compared to what the sport was 10-20-30 years ago but once again, not necessarily a bad thing. What I don't understand is why ESPN should have any involvement in deciding the direction that the sport takes

[u/BortlesWikipediClub]

Just an FYI, here’s a link to contact the CFB Playoff committee so you can let them know your thoughts on the expansion:

https://collegefootballplayoff.com/sports/2016/10/11/contact

[u/Complete-Rooster-578]

And that kids is how a great thing got destroyed. Not with a whine or a whimper but with a greed.

[u/JPatteng]

Apparently it’s not in the plan but if you’re going to have that many teams I think all the conference champs should get in. It’d make a lot of regular season games in the smaller conferences more exciting and open the door to more teams while still allowing 14 auto bids.

I don’t think there has been 14 teams capable or deserving of winning it on any given year in recent memory. The current format just with double the teams wipes out alot of interest in a lot of games, regular and post season.

[u/Sea_Spend_8008]

RIP Regular Season. Just SEC putting in Georgia, Bama and 7 random teams. Big Ten puts in Ohio State, Michigan and 7 random teams. Acc puts in Miami and 4 random teams. Then Notre Dame.

[u/mostdope28 → u/Sea_Spend_8008]

Thanks for including us but we can’t even beat Minnesota anymore

[u/FraudnandoMendoza → u/mostdope28]

Legacy bid, don’t worry.

[u/Nikola1_Smirnoff → u/Sea_Spend_8008]

Yeah fuck the Big 12 thanks Notre Dame

[u/Moose4KU → u/Sea_Spend_8008]

Ohio State would've made every playoff since 2013 in a 12-teamer too. Going to 24 hurts us because now we'd have to win an extra game most years

[u/drummerboy31402]

A bunch of snakes in suits and ties

[u/Rhinotserious]

So other than ESPN and Fox Sports, who the fuck is asking for this?

[u/lunatocracy]

Make the entire season a single elimination playoff. You lose in week 1, season over. High stakes intensity from the start. Do it you cowards!

[u/Weak-Lavishness9469]

Everyone mad at the SEC and ESPN for this but the Big Ten pushed for this. WTF

[u/Richard_AIGuy]

This fucking sucks.

[u/LegitBullfrog]

"We're ranked!"

"Playoffs here we come!"

"Well... actually... fuck us in particular."