EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLeaders of the College Football Playoff on Tuesday agreed to open a 30-day negotiating window with ESPN, signaling their greatest interest yet in a 24-team CFP field that could begin as soon as 2027, sources told ESPN.While those within the room insist this is not a commitment to a 24-team field at this time, the move does indicate that the Big Ten and SEC now agree it's worth a discussion with the event's sole rights holder to see what the value of it would be.It's possible the negotiating window could start as soon as Wednesday, according to a source. Opening the window will help determine if a 24-team field will generate enough revenue to compensate for the loss of conference championship games and bring in additional revenue. The Power 4 conference championship games have media value of at least $200 million, according to sources, and that doesn't include the tens of millions the games generate in tickets, sponsorships and other gameday revenue.The season would begin on what is now dubbed Week 0 and end on Thanksgiving weekend. Those involved in the Army-Navy game are considering moving what's been dubbed as "America's Game" into the following Saturday instead of the league title games.The Big Ten and SEC need to agree on the future format by Dec. 1 if it's going to change in time for next season because they have the bulk of control over the future format, according to the memorandum of understanding the CFP management committee members signed.If ESPN and the CFP don't reach agreement in the 30-day period, the CFP can then shop the net 10 additional games to the open market, but with ESPN retaining certain matching rights. ESPN retains control of the current 11 games (including all quarterfinals, both semifinals and the national championship game), plus the first two newly added games regardless.ESPN declined comment.This year is the first season of a new six-year deal with ESPN, and the network will remain the sole rights holder to the playoff as long as the format is 12 or 14 teams, which is what the contract currently includes. If the CFP expands beyond 14 teams, ESPN has an exclusive first negotiation right to acquire the additional games. It doesn't automatically become an open market. The CFP had to be the entity to open the window for negotiation -- not ESPN. When the playoff expanded to 12 teams, ESPN was the only network that bid on the games.This past spring, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said his preference for a media partner in a 24-team field is "whomever's committed to making it work.""I don't have any real feel about who's the best to program it," Petitti said in May at his league's spring meetings. "[ESPN] has a deep commitment to college football every week. They're not our partner during the regular season, but we do have games that cross over on ESPN, and those games typically do very well, just like the ones we have on Fox and [CBS/NBC]. I don't go in with any preconceived idea, and no one league is driving that part of the process. That's a collaborative piece that will be done by consultants and whoever else we use, not me."The Big Ten first initiated the idea of a 24-team field in February, and it's steadily gained steam to this point, with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey saying publicly he is open to consideration but still not committed.The 24-team format would consist of the 23 best teams and one spot for the Group of 6. There would be no automatic qualifiers. The top eight teams would receive byes, and there would be eight first-round games played on campus followed by another week of home games with eight second-round games on campus.All of the top teams would be rewarded with a playoff home game, and it would likely start in the second weekend of December.ESPN's Pete Thamel contributed to this report.
