DALLAS (AP) – The 11 university presidents and chancellors overseeing the college football playoffs Tuesday approved an ongoing evaluation of a proposed 12-team playoff that, if accepted, could be five years away.
The CFP board change was a necessary step in determining the feasibility of tripling the playoff field.
“The playoff with four teams was a great success and I am confident that it will remain a success.” said Mark Keenum, Mississippi state president and chairman of the CFP board of directors. “Still, it’s our responsibility to look at options to do better by increasing the number of schools that participate.”
The 12-team proposal was presented to Presidents and Chancellors after the 11-person body that manages the post-season system – 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame Sporting Director Jack Swarbrick – met everyone for the first time last week.
Keenum said the next step would be a summer review phase, the “Include other important voices” including athletes, campus leaders and trainers.
“We’re just going to be very deliberate and not talk about timing until we have the answers to all of the feasibility problems and until we have the opportunity to listen to and talk to athletes, presidents, coaches and partners.” That’s what Penn State President Eric Barron said. “So it will take time.”
The proposal does not address when a new format or extension might be implemented. The earliest possibility is 2023, when everything fits. It might not be until the 2026 season, after the current media rights deal with ESPN expires, along with some contractual considerations around bowl games, including those that are part of New Year’s Six.
Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey warned when asked how soon a new playoff might start.
“I would lower my expectations and never say never, but we have the opportunity as a group to dig deeper.” said Sankey. “These answers will come. In 2012, 2013 and 2014 decisions were made that will guide us for 12 years. That is reality. Can that change? I dont know.”
Indianapolis will host the national CFP championship game next season, followed by Los Angeles next year. A date has also been set for the title game in Houston at the end of the 2023 season.
The recommended proposal for a 12-team playoff was developed over two years by four members of the CFP Administrative Committee: Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson, Sankey and Swarbrick.
This subcommittee also notified the Presidents of various other options that were being considered, including plans to stay in four teams and have up to 16 teams. The championship subdivision playoff field began in 1978 with four teams; it has been expanded five times and now comprises 24 teams.
“That has been checked pretty carefully” West Virginia President Gordon Gee said about the CFP proposal. “So there was an answer to almost every question you could imagine.”
Gee said the 12 team proposal “Makes perfect sense” when all the pieces come together and describe that there is unanimity among the presidents in the room to move on to the next phase of gathering more information. But Gee also said the group spoke out too “that we have to marinate this now.”
Keenum said the meeting at a hotel at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport alerted him to numerous legal matters that need to be considered and received extensive feedback.
“We have bowl partnerships with our six playoff bowls, each conference has affiliations to its own bowl, and contracts are already in place.” said Keenum. “We’re just halfway through our current 12-year contract. Which legal questions need to be resolved from this point of view? We currently have a media partner, ESPN, and how does this affect our relationship with that particular provider, not just for contract execution, but beyond. “
These are answers that Presidents and Chancellors do not have and that may still be trying to get when they next meet as a group on September 28th.
“I would like to warn observers of this process not to jump to conclusions about the decisions of our board of directors.” said Keenum. “We have a lot more information, more facts to present to the board members in order to make future decisions.”
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