the drop. · Oct 9, 2026

Insider says ESPN likely to retain exclusive CFP rights even if field expands to 24 teams

College football insider Ralph Russo, writing for The Athletic, predicted on a podcast that a 24-team College Football Playoff is now more likely than not, and that ESPN will probably keep exclusive broadcast rights to the expanded format. ESPN currently pays roughly $1.3 billion per year for exclusive rights to the 12-team playoff under a six-year, $7.8 billion deal signed in February 2024 that runs through the 2031-32 season. Under that agreement, ESPN retains exclusivity up to a 16-team format, but any expansion beyond 16 reopens the entire rights deal to competitive bidding — the threshold that Fox Sports has been pushing the Big Ten to support. ESPN's 30-day exclusive negotiating window with the CFP was set to close October 9, giving the network first crack at structuring a larger-format deal before any open-market bidding could begin.

Why it matters

For brands: Sponsors and advertisers planning around playoff inventory should note that the distribution landscape — and therefore audience reach across platforms — could shift significantly depending on whether sublicensing arrangements expand or contract.

For media: If ESPN retains full exclusivity over a 24-team bracket, rival networks including Fox would have to negotiate with ESPN rather than the CFP directly for any share of playoff games.

For collectives: Playoff expansion affects conference revenue, including an estimated $200 million in media value tied to conference championship games that could be eliminated under a 24-team format.

Read the full story at Awful Announcing

Sources

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