Current:Home > StocksCollege Football Playoffs new six-year contract starting in 2026 opens door to expansion -ProsperityStream Academy
College Football Playoffs new six-year contract starting in 2026 opens door to expansion
View
Date:2025-04-13 12:28:28
Every Football Bowl Subdivision conference and Notre Dame have agreed to the new, six-year College Football Playoff contract set to begin in 2026 that paves the way for the format to expand to 14 teams, playoff executive director Bill Hancock said on Friday.
The memorandum of understanding ensures the playoff will include at least 12 teams in 2026 and beyond. While there are still several key details to be ironed out, including the final details on a television-rights deal with ESPN set to be worth a reported $1.3 billion annually, the agreement sets the stage for a potentially contentious debate over how a 14-team playoff would be formatted.
At the root of this discussion is whether the winners of the Big Ten and SEC would receive guaranteed byes out of the first round. The two powerhouse leagues have been leading the charge for a 14-team field.
There's no current specific timetable on developing a format to have in place for the 2026 season, Hancock said.
Possible expansion would come just as the FBS prepares to move into the 12-team playoff era this fall, which in turn will replace the four-team format that began in 2014.
Under the 12-team arrangement set for the next two seasons, the five highest-ranked conference champions will be joined by seven at-large bids. The four highest-ranked conference champions in the 12-team format will receive byes through the first round, which will be held at the home field of the higher-ranked team. The contract agreed to on Friday at least guarantees that five conference champions will continue reach the playoff beginning in 2026.
A move to 14 teams could trigger extreme changes to the annual financial payouts by conference, according to ESPN.
The Big Ten and SEC would make more than $21 million per school, up from the roughly $5.5 million each team in the current Power Five leagues received during the four-team era.
Schools in the ACC would receive more than $13 million annually and teams from the Big 12 as well as Notre Dame are expected to receive more than $12 million, according to ESPN. Group of Five schools would be paid $1.8 million annually, a slight uptick from the $1.5 million currently distributed.
veryGood! (37)
Related
- RFK Jr. closer to getting on New Jersey ballot after judge rules he didn’t violate ‘sore loser’ law
- Jay Leno Shares Update 2 Years After Burn Accident and Motorcycle Crash
- ‘SNL’ 50th season premiere gets more than 5M viewers, its best opener since 2020
- Martin Short Details Nervous First Day on Only Murders Set with Meryl Streep
- Mega Millions winning numbers for August 6 drawing: Jackpot climbs to $398 million
- Colton Underwood and Husband Jordan C. Brown Welcome First Baby
- Accused Los Angeles bus hijacker charged with murder, kidnapping
- Cincinnati Opera postpones Afrofuturist-themed `Lalovavi’ by a year to the summer of 2026
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Giants name former catcher Buster Posey new President of Baseball Operations, replacing Farhan Zaidi
Ranking
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Donald Trump suggests ‘one rough hour’ of policing will end theft
- Cardi B Details Getting Another Round of Her Butt Injections Removed
- Harris, Trump shift plans after Hurricane Helene’s destruction
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Criminals set up fake online pharmacies to sell deadly counterfeit pills, prosecutors say
- Man sentenced to nearly 200 years after Indiana triple homicide led to serial killer rumors
- The US is sending a few thousand more troops to the Middle East to boost security
Recommendation
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
A port strike could cost the economy $5 billion per day, here's what it could mean for you
Drake Hogestyn, ‘Days of Our Lives’ star, dies at 70
Pregnant Brittany Mahomes Shares Why She’s “Always Proud” of Patrick Mahomes
Organizers cancel Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna over fears of an attack
Beyoncé strips down with Levi's for new collab: See the cheeky ad
Conyers fire: Shelter-in-place still in effect after chemical fire at pool cleaning plant
Halloween costumes for 'Fallout,' 'The Boys' and more Prime Video shows: See prices, ideas, more