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College Football Playoff to hand ESPN its asking price for 24-team playoff as exclusive window closes

College Football Playoff officials are set to present ESPN with their final financial proposal Friday, marking the last chance to secure a deal before the exclusive 30-day negotiation window expires. The CFP aims to expand its playoff to 24 teams, but sources indicate significant gaps remain between the two parties’ offers, with ESPN’s latest bid still far from the CFP’s target.

If an agreement isn’t reached by Friday evening, the CFP will open negotiations to other broadcasters, though ESPN retains matching rights to block competing bids. Conference leaders are prioritizing revenue to offset losses from eliminating standalone championship games, which could total nearly $250 million annually.

The CFP’s proposed deal may exceed $320 million, incorporating fees from ESPN’s existing rights to ACC, Big 12, and SEC title games—rights Disney Advertising currently manages for those conferences. With ESPN’s deadline to respond falling on either October 16 or 19, depending on holiday scheduling, stakeholders remain cautiously optimistic but acknowledge the stakes are high for both sides.

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