The Faculty Soccer Playoff’s Board of Managers on Friday voted to increase the playoff area to 12 groups with an purpose to implement the bigger format as quickly as attainable, sources inform CBS Sports activities’ Dennis Dodd. The unanimous vote is a vital first step in pushing the playoff past the present four-team format.

The expanded 12-team bracket, which the board desires to start as early because the 2024 season, will function the six highest-ranked convention champions as computerized qualifiers together with the six highest-ranked at-large groups following the season.

Whereas the 11-member board — together with college presidents and chancellors representing every of the 10 FBS conferences, plus Notre Dame president John Jenkins — accepted growth as an idea, it’s only step one in guaranteeing the sphere strikes past 4 groups. It’s now as much as the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, those that comprise the CFP Administration Committee, to supervise implementation.

The committee is scheduled meet on Thursday in Irving, Texas.

Among the many major subjects on the docket will likely be when to start implementation of the 12-team area. It could possibly be instituted as quickly as 2024 or as late because the 2026 season as soon as the CFP’s 12-year contract with ESPN expires. 

A CFP subcommittee comprised of FBS commissioners that developed this 12-team bracket obtained a good reception when it was first launched in June 2021. Following that presentation and earlier than growth could possibly be accepted, realignment rocked faculty sports activities as Texas and Oklahoma introduced plans to depart the Huge 12 for the SEC.

Given SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and then-Huge 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby have been on that CFP subcommittee, the ranks have been rattled with different convention commissioners placing a halt to growth conversations whereas reevaluating their leagues’ locations within the sport.

First got here an alliance between the ACC, Huge Ten and Pac-12 with the conferences agreeing to vote as a block on key points. That alliance stood in the way in which of growth on Jan. 10 with an 8-Three tally in help of shifting to a bigger area; a unanimous vote was required to cross growth. In February 2022, given the board largely anticipated a rubber stamp within the prior vote, growth was thought of a shelved matter for the foreseeable future. 

The Huge Ten swiping USC and UCLA from the Pac-12 this previous offseason, a continuation of this spherical of realignment, introduced a transparent finish to that short-lived alliance. It maybe opened the door to revitalized talks given the ACC, Huge 12 and Pac-12 is not going to be bringing in media rights income to the extent of the Huge Ten and SEC within the close to future.

CFP government director Invoice Hancock beforehand said that the playoff wouldn’t increase earlier than the top of its present contract, which is about to run out in 2025. In releasing nationwide championship recreation websites by means of the 2025 season simply weeks in the past — Atlanta will host following the 2024 season, South Florida the subsequent 12 months — the CFP seemingly confirmed a format change wouldn’t happen earlier.

If the CFP goals to increase previous to the top of its ESPN contract, it faces a hurdle of needing to search out sufficient recreation websites (probably on campus for early-round video games) and enact acceptable logistics (lodge rooms, apply amenities, and so forth.) in a brief time frame. Whereas these stay massive obstacles, a number of sources advised Dodd all could possibly be cleared with 28 months to go till a doubtlessly expanded playoff in 2024.

“My response typically is, if persons are keen [to do it], something can occur,” mentioned Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson, one of many 4 key members of that subcommittee alongside Sankey, Bowlsby and Swarbrick.

A 12-team playoff has been valued at $1.2 billion yearly, trade sources advised Dodd, up from the present $600 million the CFP is incomes from ESPN. By not enacting growth previous to the 2026 season, the CFP can be leaving vital cash on the desk. ESPN would maintain rights to any further CFP video games by means of the ultimate two years of its 12-year deal.

There stays widespread help for CFP media rights to exit to a number of bidders as soon as the ESPN contract expires. The Huge Ten just lately signed a $1.2 billion annual cope with CBS, Fox and NBC to air its video games.