ESPN pays $1.7 billion to air expanded 24-team college football playoff

ESPN agreed to pay nearly $1.7 billion for the rights to broadcast the College Football Playoff starting with the 2027 season. The five-year contract was signed on Monday, Nov. 9. This payment sits on top of the six-year, $7.8 billion agreement the two parties reached in March 2024. That earlier deal secured ESPN as the exclusive media rights holder through the 2031 season. Under the new terms, ESPN will pay an additional $345 million per year.

The expansion increases the number of participating teams from 12 to 24. The College Football Playoff cited a goal of creating more chances for FBS programs, student-athletes, and fans to compete for the national title. The committee also noted that new scheduling rules encourage schools to arrange more attractive non-conference games during the regular season. The format will include 16 on-campus playoff games to engage local communities.

The 2027 season will start the week before Labor Day, a period traditionally known as Week Zero. The regular season will end on Thanksgiving weekend. The CFP committee plans to announce the initial 24-team field on Nov. 28, 2027, the Sunday following Thanksgiving. The agreement eliminates the conference championship games currently held by the Power Four leagues.

The playoff field will consist of the four Power Four conference champions, 19 at-large selections, and the top-ranked Group of Six team. Independent program Notre Dame does not receive a guaranteed spot. The Fighting Irish must earn a high enough ranking to secure an at-large berth. The annual Army-Navy game remains a standalone event the week after the regular season concludes. It will not influence CFP rankings if either team makes the field.

The tournament will begin in the first full week of December 2027. The top eight teams in the rankings will receive first-round byes. The first two rounds of games will be played at the home stadium of the higher seed. The New Year's Six bowl games, including the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Peach, Orange, and Cotton bowls, will host the quarterfinals and semifinals. The national championship game is scheduled for Jan. 24, 2028, in New Orleans.

Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP, said the organization aims to make the 24-team playoff a spectacle for all stakeholders. He stated that the group delivers a world-class championship experience and that this promise will continue under the new format. The tournament will feature 23 games involving 24 ranked teams competing for the national title.

The current 12-team format, which began in the 2024 season, will end with the winter 2026 playoffs. The four-team format was used from the 2014 season until the expansion. The new structure represents a major shift in how the sport determines its champion and distributes broadcast revenue.