SEC, B1G ready to expand College Football Playoff & get 8 Automatic Bids 🔗
I am surprised that the article said ESPN doesn’t like the 8 Automatic Bids, because they feel they will lose viewers in the non P2 markets. Many of us have said that repeatedly, I guess there could be good news in there for the Mag 7+1, because that makes me think ESPN wants more markets in the P2. 🤷♂️
** Edited by Stech at 2/16/2025, 9:03:24 PM
68 Replies
M
Marooned
1y
Those conferences are openly colluding to rig the CFB playoffs in their favor.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
they are funding the entire thing.
(In response to this post by Stech)
E
EDGEMAN
1y
...the playoff. Pushing for auto-bids means the P2 conferences want to ensure their undeserving teams also make it into the playoff.
(In response to this post by Sunsetunderground)
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2hhoop3
1y
just posturing for leverage. ESPN wants more conference games/inventory and SEC says we'll give it to you for more money, likely in some combination of increased autobids and/or price adjustments to the media contract. Same is true for the FOX/B1G but, slightly different as FOX does not control playoff contract. It will get worked out in the end because all the parties P2 and their network partners have put in too much effort to get to this point to have the plan crumble over a few autobids and a fraction of the total contract values.
(In response to this post by Sunsetunderground)
1y
Got subpar ratings and that is with 2 of the biggest names in the sport. If the autobids impact ratings further Espn may not be on board.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
2
2hhoop3
1y
they control the playoff rights. This is just a discussion of where the money will come from, be it the playoff rights or the regular season rights. There are other ways to juice the playoff ratings, not the least of which is movement off a Monday night final too many weeks removed from the regular season end. Also, while OSU and ND are "bluebloods" the rest of the country may have cared little for a matchup of Midwest schools, one sporting a loss to powerhouse Illinois and another who recently suffered a shellacking at the hands of a conference rival resulting in it missing its own conference championship game.
(In response to this post by Sunsetunderground)
1y
I understand why. Saturday game would conflict with a pro game. That said, the game is so late, it's almost forgotten about.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
1y
It’s simple math, shrink the markets that have a chance, you shrink the audience.
Create rankings that have a preset criteria that can only be changed after the season for integrity reasons. Truthfully AI could create the most objective results, not perfect, but the most objective. If you don’t make the top 16, then try again next year
(In response to this post by Sunsetunderground)
D
daveinop
1y
2025 finals down 12%; semi's down 17%
highest rated finals of all time included west coast teams...TX/USC and OSU/Oregon. those games drew over 50% more viewers than this years final
post-pandemic ratings for the finals are down from the previous 2 decades
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
or they have something else up their sleeve.
(In response to this post by daveinop)
D
daveinop
1y
what the networks used to make on the 6 major bowls versus what they are making on the playoffs.
I'm sure that data is easy to get and ESPN et al are well aware of it, but I haven't seen anyone lay that out that in a single article.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
1 game. I am sure they are making more money with more games, but what are expenses to do more games. What is the net on doing it?
(In response to this post by daveinop)
1y
an exclusive contract with ESPN.
The NCAA March madness contract was extended to 2031 - 32 by CBS and Turner in a $8.8B deal.
Let the P2 go their own way, as I think that a football playoff with March Madness, without the P2 schools, could generate enough money for the ACC and B12 conferences without the P2 Universities included.
With the per team payout and participation that the P2 is "allowing" all of the rest of FBS, it might be time to sit down with private equity, not on a per team basis, not on a conference basis, but at the NCAA governing level, and create an entity that distributes the money generated for the playoffs at the participation level. All conference champions minus the P2 get a bit, and make it a 16 team playoff based on rankings. That gives 8 at large invites based on rankings and records. Payments to the conferences are based on units, as they are now in the basketball tournament, and let the conferences decide how to distribute that money on a per team basis.
Put the P2 exactly where they think they are, and that is on an island.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
(In response to this post by Stech)
H
HouClone
1y
House settlement revenue sharing deal? If the SEC and Big 10 bully their way again, couldn't the ACC and Big 12 threaten to bail on the deal? Lawyers for the players would be going after the money more which would be the SEC and Big 10. Plus, they put the most players in the league so rightly they should pay more compensation.
(In response to this post by Stech)
T
Truthahn
1y
Maybe we could sue the CFP to keep them from calling their winner the National Champion, or even from calling itself the "College Football" playoffs, since it would then not represent everyone in that group?
We should get the NCAA to set up an NCAA Football Tournament with AQ invites for each conference champ, and at least several at-larges. The NCAA should be running the playoffs, IMO.
(In response to this post by HouClone)
1y
all the leverage and control has been voted over to the P2.
(In response to this post by Truthahn)
1y
an you know after the P2 conoliidates all the rights values to them, they will hit March Madness
THey have no interest in the 'good of collegiate sports'. The revenue of March madness feeds the NCAA operations (wihich inlcudes putting on all these NCAA championships for all sports at all levels, for programs that really cannot afford to put this on. (Espeically the Division 3 and 2 student athletes, the record keeping, the community. etc.).
I see it as a matter of time.
(In response to this post by Stech)
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2hhoop3
1y
these idiots keep doing the same things and are surprised when they get the same results. The PAC 12 and ACC saw it with the Alliance and now the Big 12 and ACC are seeing it with CFP expansion. And coming soon, the same plays will be made toward governance and the NCAA basketball tournament. When governance and March Madness goes there is no longer any leverage left for the smaller fish and then Sankey can focus all his attention on relegating the B1G to Avis status. They screwed up by not calling the P2 's earlier bluffs and now they are close to amassing an unassailable power position.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
Sort of an NFC and AFC scenario?
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
2
2hhoop3
1y
the proper word. His goal is and always has been for the SEC to be #1 and like I said he will work on relegating the B1G to Avis "we try harder" but are #2 status. I think the miscalculation is that lessening the broad base appeal of college football and making it truly a minor pro league will significantly, negatively impact the sport in the long run.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
As powerful as ESPN is (they basically own 80% of college football), they would have significant challenges with trying to diminish the BIG.
BIG has FOX and CBS and even some NBC
BIG has much much larger enrollments and alumni bases
BIG has better geographic coverage coast to coast
Saban was almost single-handedly boosting the SEC profile with his Bama dynasty. Look what has happened on his way out, two straight BIG titles. The SEC had a very nice run for over a decade. But the BIG has a lot of money and this new era is going to shift a bit in their favor over time. Plus if the SEC finally goes to 9 conference games, that will knock out more of their inflated mid level teams.
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
1y
Then the death penalty for SMU after getting caught twice, that shut down or at least heavily cut back how much they were able to pay. The paying shifted over to the SEC, as the dominant player paying conference. However, now it’s legal, no guard rails yet. Lo and behold Texas and SMU are in the playoff. It didn’t take long for that oil money to put them back in the cat bird seat. Yeah, keep an eye on the Texas schools.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
Texas was 10th in wins from 70-79. aTm was 37th. Even Texas Tech had more wins than the Aggies. SMU was a nothing-burger. 82nd in wins. That was pre-death penalty.
(In response to this post by Stech)
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2hhoop3
1y
they just did a very poor job of selecting coaches and evaluating players.
(In response to this post by Stech)
H
HouClone
1y
This has Sankey's and lesser amount Sankey's yes man Petitti's greedy fingerprints all over it.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
the University Presidents? The Ad's?
Who give these guys their power?
(In response to this post by HouClone)
H
HouClone
1y
for not reigning Sankey and Petitti, not just for college sports but for the trickle down effect of academics and opportunities (scholarships).
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
H
HouClone
1y
The article saying ESPN is not on board is false in my opinion. ESPN and FOX want consolidation. They dangle the money in front of Sankey and Petitti to take at the expense of the rest of college athletics.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
V
Vippie1
1y
P4 has to split up to 2 divisions - auto bids for 8 division winners
One or 2 auto bids for G5
One for ND if they meet certain criteria
leaves 5 or 6 at large to be determined by merit by a committee.
Okay let's be real , most of those at large bids will end up going to P2 schools anyway but at least it isn't locked in and has to more or less be earned
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
Everyone talks about the P2 breaking away, but any agreement to just give the SEC and Big 10 double the auto bids that the ACC and Big 12 get is already, in practice, breaking away, but it will be worse for the ACC and Big 12 than them actually breaking away, because the ACC and Big 12 will be effectively frozen out of ever winning another national title. Let's just be realistic about it - no ACC or Big 12 program will ever win a 14-16 (or more) team playoff where over half the field is made up of SEC and Big 10 programs. The ACC and Big 12 programs will be making half the media rights money, and we're already seeing that they're becoming little more than farm teams for the P2. You can argue that, "well, they'd just get that number of teams in anyway," but, why guarantee it? If you haven't already agreed to let that happen, you can at least shake your fist and complain.
Agreeing to make the CFP field all auto-bids, and also agreeing to give the SEC and Big 10 double the number of bids is suicide for the ACC and Big 12. There's no two ways about it.
(In response to this post by Vippie1)
1y
than their conference, is where this falls off the cliff. Having any conference, or conferences in charge is a kin to the inmates running the insane asylum.
The money disparity is another conversation all together.
At this point, unless there is congressional intervention, and some sort of revenue sharing across the board, the rest of college athletics have only one choice - call their bluff, and let them break away - in all sports. They can then crown their semi pro champions, and the rest of college athletics can crown their collegiate champions.
(In response to this post by Baltimore_Hokie)
1y
parts of a whole. Important parts, yes, but they're still parts of a whole. If they broke away from the current FBS tomorrow, their championships, football, basketball, and everything else, would lack legitimacy in the eyes of everyone except their member programs and the fans of those programs. And, more importantly, hermetically sealing themselves off from everyone else would not be good for the bottom line. The product would lack the appeal of college sports, and would become stale almost immediately. With that few teams in a division, rematches would be rife, even in football. Big time intersectional games that only happened once a decade 20-30 years ago would be staged multiple times a year. It all just becomes another regular commodity.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
would 100% support all of college athletics breaking away from the P2. I believe they would flounder, and the rest of college athletics could remember why we have athletes representing their schools in the first place.
(In response to this post by Baltimore_Hokie)
1y
Proposal SEC 4 automatics, BIg 10 4 automatics ACC And Big 12 (2) automatics? and 3 at large (could inlcude big 10 or SEC plus ND and 1 for group of 5. WOW
The championship could be worse are 7 SEC 4 Big 10 2 ACC 2 Big 12 1 Group of 5 and ND gets squeeze???
(In response to this post by Stech)
E
EDGEMAN
1y
They have it rolling now, and that's likely to continue. A 10-2 ND team isn't getting bumped by a 4-loss SEC team.
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
1y
leaving two more at large if 14 and 4 more if 16. Yes the P2 will likely dominate the At Large bids too.
I am going to edit my other post.
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
1y
Alot of 9-3 teams on the bubble. That's why they want 4 guaranteed
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
Conference Record. The article says they are going to 9 games in Conference because of the 4 automatic bids will be the best Conference Record. So the 3 and maybe 4 losses could still get you in because it’s not rankings for them with 4 Automatic bids. Similar with the ACC, but only two Automatic Bids.
(In response to this post by Sunsetunderground)
1y
Setting the stage for more tv money and getting rid of FCS games
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
meeting I think this week in New Orleans to finish off the playoff rules and work on SEC B1G regular season games. 💵💵
(In response to this post by Sunsetunderground)
1y
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
If it goes to 14, that means 4 at large, or if 16 it means 6 at large. One has to go to the G-6, 1 likely goes to Notre Dame with their ratings/rankings. So the P2 probably gets a couple more at 14, but probably gets as many as 4 more if 16 is passed.
I personally don’t like the automatic bids, but like the article says, the P2 has control now, the others can voice their opinion, but don’t have a vote. The P2 will meet in New Orleans I believe this week, so we could easily have the answer fairly soon as to what happens for the 2026 season.
** Edited by Stech at 2/17/2025, 2:33:05 PM
(In response to this post by HokieNoVA)
1y
Apologies to all if this is a repeat of a past post from me.
I basically saw the opportunity to do two things.
1. make the weekend more interesting (and get more viewers) by having more games instead of just 1. My example below was part of the ACC/B12 merger concept, but the same general approach can be used within the ACC by having the top 4 teams play for the 2 auto spots.
2. incentivize teams to be more aggressive all season on O and D by changing the tie breaker rules (for who gets to be in the top 4 ACC teams). This is especially intended to create more national interest in the ACC because top offensive players are magnets for national media attention (see Colorado as an example).
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
If all this goes through, meaning double the AQs for the P2 in the playoff, special P2 scheduling arrangements, even more money for the P2, etc., and it appears it will, it's just the beginning. The pillaging never stops with the first power grab.
It's basically over at this point for the Big 12 and the ACC. They've been completely run out of the game. They have no power, no say so, no influence.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
(In response to this post by Baltimore_Hokie)
1y
Or the Caddy Shack line, “you will get nothing and like it.”😬
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
over the years. The ACC and Big 12 are now sitting at that table.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
It’s going to be more and more difficult to keep the fans schools left behind / not in power 2 engaged. Back in the good ole days of a 2 team championship everyone felt like they could catch lightning in a bottle and potentially win it all.
The more and more the power 2 set the rules in their favor the less opportunity there is for a school outside to win it all.
At some point they will start losing fans of all of the other schools. Why should fans in Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, etc continue to watch this charade when their programs have been rendered non-competitive due disparity in $?
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
ESPN even mentioned that in the article. They are paying the bills here, so I think they eventually will get their way.
(In response to this post by Brother Griswold)
1y
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
seen them mention it, saying they are worried about a drop in ratings in non P2 markets. I have seen it talked about many times here, but never by ESPN. As I mentioned, I think that’s a good thing.
(In response to this post by HokieNoVA)
CFP Selection Committee (read: ESPN) wants control over picking the field
So I don't trust their motives. But I will say, I hate, hate, hate any auto bids that aren't conference title winners. So in this regard, I hope ESPN gets its way.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
Every single "new" concept in there has been discussed multiple times here in the past as you said. I'm glad that it appears to finally be making some logical progress. Although it's all talk until they make it real.
This will be interesting to see what gets formally suggested and approved.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
are pushed around here a lot, mainly because we agree to disagree with RESPECT.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
Will they end the four ACC rivalry games? Will the ACC also adopt the nine conference games?
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
We have 17 football teams. Either one of Notre Dame's games needs to count as an ACC game, or we need to add one more team.
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
go to week zero and everyone plays one, Thanksgiving weekend would then be all Conference Rivalry games. Like Michigan Ohio State, Auburn Alabama, Virginia Tech Virginia, North Carolina North Carolina State, Florida State Miami etc. Do all of this and get rid of the Opt Out Bowl Games and have a 16 team playoff with no byes. Top ranked 8 get home games.
** Edited by Stech at 2/17/2025, 7:12:59 AM
(In response to this post by RandomAsianGuy)
1y
SEC goes to 9 if ESPN says they give more money (SEC has the proven ratings)
For ACC, 9 conference games per schools might not get more ratings. (who wants to see another Wake BC) game...except if ACC allows ND ot play more Clemson, FSU, Miami NC games with ND and pull out of designated games with Wake BC, Pitt Louisville and maybe VT???
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
... get a home for all their other sports?
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
1y
now that the SEC is going there. I also think Notre Dame goes from 5-6 ACC games a year to a flat 6. It’s pretty much a negligible change. Remember a big part of the change is OOC games will not mean nearly as much as Conference Games. The Conference regular season record is going to pick who gets in the playoffs/play in game way more than anything else.
** Edited by Stech at 2/17/2025, 9:24:30 AM
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
1y
Miami more frequently as a condition when ESPN exercised the option?
(In response to this post by 1947Sunbowl)
1y
The Conference Record will basically decide who gets in the playoff in the P4, but of course 8 for the P2 and 4 for the T2 (T2-tier 2 being ACC and B12).
(In response to this post by VTHokie2000)
1y
the third place ACC or B12 team. It's what will separate a two loss BYU from a two loss Louisville for example. Those at large invites will be up for grabs for a 1 loss G5 or a 2 or 3 loss ACC/B12 team.
It all depends on their schedule though, as that determines a significant part of the rankings.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
the minority of the bids OOC games will matter. However, the Automatic Bids again the overwhelming majority of bids, are completely won by the Conference Record/games. So Conference games will have more weight by far than ever, especially for the P4. That’s the point I am trying to make.
By the way, I wish the Conference Championships and Automatic Bids would go away and just do rankings on pre-set criteria, so I am just describing what they say is going to happen, not what I want to happen. The P2 has yet to call me for my opinion. 🤣
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)