Now that the years-long course of to finalize how the 12 groups for the expanded School Soccer Playoff might be chosen is full, there are already talks of including extra groups for 2026 and past.
The CFP Administration Committee on Wednesday mentioned the potential for a 14-team bracket, together with playoff governance and elevated income distribution after the following two seasons. However the 10 FBS convention commissioners and Notre Dame's incoming athletic director got here to no conclusion after assembly for practically 9 hours in a lodge at Dallas-Fort Price Worldwide Airport.
“Actually productive, very collegial, very collaborative,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips stated. “Not everybody loves every thing on a regular basis. It's simply a type of issues the place you’ve gotten 11 totally different entities. However I believe a very constructive assembly.”
These commissioners met a day after college presidents and chancellors overseeing the playoffs accredited the format for the 5 highest-ranked convention champions and 7 groups at massive for the playoff discipline, which triples in dimension for subsequent season. CFP managers started engaged on an enlargement plan in 2019, although the pandemic seemingly slowed some progress.
The timing is extra urgent now on pending and probably contentious issues equivalent to cash as a result of there is no such thing as a contract in place for the CFP past the 2025 season.
“She was good right now in that it created that feeling of 'let's maintain working even quicker,'” Massive Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti stated.
The CFP and ESPN have agreed in precept to a six-year contract extension that runs via the 2031 soccer season, price about $1.three billion yearly. However this deal isn’t finished, as points associated to income distribution and governance should be resolved.
ESPN already has unique rights to the semifinals and championship video games over the following two seasons, however broadcasts for extra first-round video games this yr and subsequent have but to be decided as a result of the 12-team format went into impact earlier than the present deal was accomplished.
Chief government Invoice Hancock stated the CFP want to be finished with the format and the brand new TV deal in a few month.
“We have now to get this over with,” Hancock stated. “He left everybody with an encouraging feeling right now.”
Hancock stated he wouldn’t go into element about any of the PCP income, format or governance discussions shifting ahead as a result of every thing is topic to dialogue and alter, however stated there have been “very constructive vibes in what we had in entrance of the U.S. “
As up to now decade with a four-team setup, no convention has computerized entry to the brand new 12-team playoff. However now, this discipline might embrace computerized qualifications for some leagues.
When it comes to CFP income, underneath the four-team playoff system, the Energy 5 conferences acquired about 78 % of that cash to distribute to their members, and the Group of 5 acquired virtually the entire relaxation. Now, with solely 4 energy conferences and the SEC and Massive Ten nonetheless separating from the remainder, how the cash is split is sure to alter.
The SEC will develop to 16 groups subsequent fall with the addition of Massive 12 powers Texas and Oklahoma. 4 of the 10 departing Pac-12 members be part of what is going to develop into the 18-team Massive Ten.
The 2 leagues earlier this month introduced the formation of a joint advisory group of college leaders and athletic administrators to attempt to discover options to issues dealing with school sports activities.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey left to catch a flight with out chatting with reporters.
One of many essential causes the enlargement to 12 groups took so lengthy was that unanimity is required from all 10 conferences, plus Notre Dame, to make any modifications inside the present CFP construction. And that might be tweaked additional, giving sure entities extra affect in choices.
Pac-12 groups are additionally shifting to the Massive 12 and ACC, leaving solely Oregon State and Washington State within the Pac-12, although they are going to proceed to function the league whereas taking part in most of their video games towards Mountain West opponents.
Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff, who’s parting methods with the league later this month, attended the assembly however didn’t converse to reporters afterward. Deputy Commissioner Teresa Gould, who will succeed her on March 1, was additionally there.
Twitter: @SportsDayDFW
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