Total control of playoff for ESPN

[u/duabrs]

Is this possible to end up in court as an antitrust / monopoly violation?

I like the expansion, but not the expanded power it'll give ESPN.

[u/dawgfan19881]

They had an open bid. Nobody else bid.

[u/troyofmtsthelen → u/dawgfan19881]

FOX couldn’t bid because they need every dollar to try and retain their NFL package next negotiation with Goodell’s stated revenue goals.

[u/Tiny-River2776 → u/dawgfan19881]

They literally asked other networks and nobody showed up with a check. not much of a monopoly when the competition just sleeps in

[u/Ok-Soil-5133 → u/dawgfan19881]

Yeah Ralph Russo said there is not any indication that there is even close to a better deal out there than what ESPN offered

While ESPN signed it in their exclusive negotiating window, if they felt there was a better offer out there they would've taken it to open market 100%.

[u/54-2-10 → u/dawgfan19881]

There was no open bid.

Espn negotiated exclusively for the broadcasting rights.

[u/dawgfan19881 → u/54-2-10]

When it expanded to 12 there was an open bid. Nobody else bid. That exclusive rights you allude to are under that contact.

[u/54-2-10 → u/dawgfan19881]

No, that is not correct.

There has never been an open bid for playoff games. Not for the 4 team, not for 12 teams, and not for 24.

Espn sold some of the 12 team playoff games to other smaller outlets, but the playoff has never gone to a true open market bid.

[u/Normal-Hornet8548 → u/dawgfan19881]

Not only that, but at least a couple playoff games are sublet/farmed out to TBS/TNT. They aren’t even all on ESPN currently.

[u/TheBigMcD → u/dawgfan19881]

Shame usc let the pac12 network die. Watching every playoff game at 11pm et would of been lit.

[u/Weak-Lavishness9469]

The CFP and Leagues field back channel offers from the other networks and streamers. If the other other offers were even close theyd go to market.

[u/usffan]

Larry Scott & George Kliavkoff: Wait, did anybody ask Apple TV?

[u/Ok-Soil-5133]

No.

TV rights are open market. Other networks wouldn't pay up.

[u/soulsides → u/Ok-Soil-5133]

Exactly. Anti-trust isn’t applicable here. A single network could carry every single NFL or NBA game if both the leagues and the networks agreed to such terms. It’s an open market, networks have the ability to bid against each other for game packages-including the playoffs-so where are the monopoly practices?

ESPN deserves shit for any number of reasons but they didn’t force the CFB decision makers to expand to a 24 team playoff. That’s on CFB teams and conferences.

[u/duabrs → u/soulsides]

Maybe, but their close ties to the SEC will forever taint this system. More teams will go independent, and should.

[u/soulsides → u/duabrs]

Agreed but that’s not what OP was asking about

[u/Rock_man_bears_fan]

Nobody else matched the bid.

[u/Vulcanic_1984]

Skydance doesnt have the money. Universal doesnt seem interested. Netflix and google dont seem interested. Apple already killed off pac 12 and is now killing off mls tv. It is disney or bust.

[u/AldermanAl]

Considering the congress actively working to give college football an antitrust exemption I would say no.

[u/SharpMind94]

Is there anything stopping schools from participating in a playoffs and creating a playoffs of their own. Like this 24 teams playoffs and the B10 and SEC decides to have their own bracket in the same season

[u/hwf0712 → u/SharpMind94]

There's probably contractual obligations in their current CFP contract they'd need to satisfy first, but after that... not as far as I know.

[u/hwf0712]

No

The NCAA will argued to be a competitor for sanctioning the FCS Natty. Additionally, the CFP has representatives from each conference, and each school is then going to be argued to have their interests represented there, and make it thusly not an anti-trust violation.