Why ESPN’s nearly $1.7 billion CFP deal costs the network less than it seems
ESPN will remain the sole rights holder of the College Football Playoff when the bracket doubles to 24 teams in 2027, under a five-year deal worth nearly $1.7 billion, sources told ESPN’s Heather Dinich. The CFP made the expansion official Monday, and the new terms run through the 2031-32 season. The field will include the […] The post Why ESPN’s nearly $1.7 billion CFP deal costs the network…
ESPN has inked a nearly $1.7 billion, five-year deal to continue its exclusive broadcast rights for the College Football Playoff (CFP), sources disclosed to ESPN’s Heather Dinich. This nearly $345 million annual increase on top of the network’s $1.3 billion annual expenditure translates to a net gain of roughly $205 million per year.
The deal, set to run until the 2031-32 season, will expand the field to 24 teams in 2027, with the top eight seeds receiving byes, the first two rounds taking place on-campus, and the New Year’s Six bowls retaining their positions in the quarterfinals and semifinals. The league’s 12 new playoff games will see ESPN’s net payment amounting to roughly $17 million per game, with the network potentially sublicensing six of these events to approved partners.
The deal’s financial implications extend beyond ESPN, as it will eliminate lucrative Power 4 conference championship games and cost Fox about $50 million annually.
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