Report: College Football Playoff presidents expected to vote on expanding as early as 2024
College Football Playoff expansion talks appears to be heating up once again. In fact, a vote could be on the horizon.
The CFP presidents are expected to meet virtually on Friday to discuss the next phase of the playoff and could vote on expanding as early as 2024, according to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger.
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Dellenger added a 12-team playoff continues to be the favorite if the committee decides to expand. However, there’s one important ripple to a potential vote: if expansion occurs before the CFP’s contract with ESPN expires in 2026, the vote has to be unanimous. Conference commissioners were outspoken about the idea of an expanded playoff during media days last month, including Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff.
Expansion talks broke down early in the offseason when the committee decided to keep the four-team format in place in February. However, preliminary talks reportedly started back up about expansion before 2026 on Aug. 17 after members expressed fears of missing out on $450 million in revenue by staying at four teams through the end of the deal. Dellenger noted that number in his report, as well.
More on the potential College Football Playoff expansion
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the idea of expansion came up again — and it came with a number. A fear of missing out on millions of dollars in revenue if the committee holds off until 2026, and that could help speed up the timeline on expanding from four teams.
“A source told ESPN that the general feel among the presidents and chancellors on the call was that the college sports leaders have left too much money on the table by not implementing a new playoff before 2026, perhaps as much as a half-billion dollars,” Thamel wrote. “Much of the obstruction to the 12-team playoff appears to have dissipated, as media day comments from multiple leaders revealed some of the obstacles now appear to have been more performative than grounded in reality.”
Since the discussions broke down, multiple conference commissioners came out at their respective media days in favor of expanding the CFP. Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said he would be “100% in favor” of expansion, as did incoming Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark and Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff. However, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips remained steadfast in his desire to keep the CFP at four teams.
“The membership of the ACC is very much aligned in its position that now is not the right time to expand the College Football Playoff,” Phillips said, per ESPN’s Andrea Adelson. “We have significant concerns surrounding a proposed expansion model.”