CFB Playoff: Get ready for midweek games and money and bowls battle

Progress is being made on how the 12-team CFB Playoff will work. Efforts are underway to make it happen before the 2026 season. After a meeting this week in Chicago, by the CFB Playoff Management Committee (conference commissioners, plus Jack Swarbrick of Notre Dame), there is some optimism the new format can be in place for the 2024 season.

Hurdles remain to be overcome. They are significant. But they will be resolved. It is not known how or when all the parties will agree. There is an expectation the next meeting of the group on Oct. 20 will provide considerable progress.

Many college football fans are not interested in the minutiae of the eventual deal. Those with interest, understand the most contentious debates lie ahead.

Following the Chicago meeting, Ross Dellenger provided a detailed review.

What will interest many fans is the consideration of first-round, on-campus games being held on weeknights. In an effort to schedule around December NFL games on Saturdays, some or all of the first-round games could be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. That decision has not been made but based on Dellenger’s reporting, it is likely to happen.

A more difficult point of contention pits the interest of some bowl games against the most powerful Power Five Commissioners. As reported by Dellenger,

"there is talk among many athletic directors to move the quarterfinals to campus sites, arguing that the top four seeds in the Playoff will never host a postseason game—opportunities that will be both a competitive advantage and a financial boon"

Not surprisingly, bowl executives want all of the expanded Playoffs to be played in bowl games. They will likely lose the fight over first-round games. They might also lose the fight over the top seeds getting a home game. The disagreement is about more than money. Power Five commissioners (particularly Kevin Warren and Greg Sankey) know Ohio State and Alabama fans (and other bye teams) would much prefer having a quarter-final home game.

CFB Playoff Revenue Distribution

There will be an even bigger battle over revenue distribution. Many more millions will be generated by the expanded Playoff and the ‘big dogs’ will want a larger helping. Dellenger explained,

"Why should the 10-team Pac-12 or 14-team ACC get the same cut as bigger conferences? Especially if those bigger conferences are responsible for the majority of CFP qualifiers? The SEC and Big Ten have qualified 16 teams for the CFP in its history. The other three leagues have qualified 14."

Some conferences are already discussing “uneven revenue distribution models” and that idea will affect expanded Playoff decisions.

SEC Commissioner, Greg Sankey’s straightforward take on revenue distributions is,

"It needs to be updated comprehensively"

Lines could be drawn in the sand over this issue.

As far as new media deals, ESPN will have exclusive control over its already negotiated media rights that run through the 2025 Playoffs. An additional rights fee will have to be determined.