The Bowl 9 Conference and the University of Notre Dame reached an agreement Friday on a six-year deal that will continue the College Football Playoff through the 2031 season. This is an important step in establishing a revenue sharing plan and allowing CFP to finalize media rights agreements.
Executive director Bill Hancock said the agreement does not lock in the format of the CFP beyond 2026, but it does ensure a field of at least 12 teams and five conferences will have annual access to the playoffs through 2031. .
This season's playoffs have been expanded from four teams to 12 teams, with the field consisting of the top five conference champion teams, regardless of league, and seven at-large teams.
“Other formatting decisions will be made in due course,” Hancock said.
A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that under the 2026 plan, the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference champions would automatically receive CFP bids. He said the top-rated champions from the other five conferences that signed the agreement will also be available. Trades: American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid American, Sun Belt, Mountain West.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the agreement have not been made public.
The Big Ten and SEC multiple automated bidding conferences, But that story is on hold for now.
Under the new agreement, the number of teams in the CFP could increase to 14, but Hancock said there are currently no plans in place and there is no need to rush into a decision.
Hancock said the conference commissioners who govern the CFP may want to let next season be played and evaluate the first iteration of the 12-team model.
“We're going to take a deep breath, take a step back and start a conversation whenever it's appropriate,” he said.
Hancock said the Pac-12, which is scheduled to operate as a two-team league next season with only Washington State and Oregon State, did not sign the deal because of the uncertainty beyond 2025.
The CFP recently introduced a rule that states a conference must have at least eight teams to qualify for the playoffs.
Hancock said it's unclear whether the Pac-12 would be able to participate in the agreement even if it were rebuilt.
CFP has an agreement in principle with ESPN It concerns a new media rights deal worth $7.8 billion that runs through 2031, adjusting the value of the final two years of the current 12-year deal to increase the number of playoff games.
The CFP could not complete its deal unless the conference first agreed to playoff participation and a revenue-sharing plan.
“We're still negotiating with ESPN,” Hancock said. “We are encouraged about the position we are in. But we still have work to do.”
Mr. Hancock declined to provide details of the revenue-sharing agreement.
it has been previously reported The Southeastern Conference and Big Ten will receive more than 50% of the CFP revenue distributed, the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 will receive about 30% together, and the rest will go to the Group of Companies, The Associated Press has confirmed. The Five Conference and Notre Dame will receive it.
Big Ten and SEC schools will receive about $22 million annually.
Notre Dame's share would be about $12 million a year, about the same amount as schools in the ACC and Big 12. Schools that participate in the Group of Five conferences will earn about $2 million a year.
Participation bonuses (currently $6 million for semifinalists and $4 million for all other New Year's Six bowls) will be eliminated for all players except independents. By 2025, when Massachusetts joins the MAC, Notre Dame and UW will be the only official independent football affiliates in the FBS.
But another person with direct knowledge of the agreement said the agreement would treat Washington state and Oregon as independent entities of Notre Dame and would receive annual payments of $360,000 starting in 2026. There is. These schools earn about $5 million annually in their current CFP contracts as part of the Pac-12.
Washington State President Kirk Schultz and Oregon State President Jayati Murthy said in a statement that the CFP's decision to “significantly reduce the Pac-12 Conference's fair share of CFP revenues” has resulted in schools in the Pacific Northwest He said this would widen the fiscal disparity already faced by the United States.
“Negotiations with CFP continue and we continue to pursue all options on behalf of our student-athletes and the university,” they said.
The agreement also includes a study through 2028 that could provide an opportunity for adjustment.
“This agreement is a very important next step for CFP,” Hancock said. “This allows fans to continue to enjoy postseason soccer tournaments and watch the best teams in the country compete for a national championship.”
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Follow Ralph D. Russo https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP Please listen at http://www.appodcasts.com. AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
