24-Team College Football Playoff

[NDWarrior]

It will be awesome if the everyone against The SEC and ESPN party wins out and the SEC and ESPN lose their strong hold on the CFP and major TV rights.

At this point, it appears that The SEC and ESPN are the only entities against a new 24-team CFP format for 2027 and beyond.

 

[Katzenboyer]

I hate the idea of it and this article does a much better job of explaining things than I ever could.

 

[pumpdog20]

I would think ND fans are for expansion since it means the status quo likely results in a lot of upcoming scheduled elite games will be in jeopardy of getting canceled.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

I get why ESPN is because they will lose their monopoly on the playoff. The SEC will likely get 6-8 teams in yearly so they would benefit. Me? I hate it.

 

[NDPhilly]

I would think ND fans are for expansion since it means the status quo likely results in a lot of upcoming scheduled elite games will be in jeopardy of getting canceled.

The thing is the elite games don’t even mean anything if you can lose 4 and still get in.

 

[stlnd01]

I would think ND fans are for expansion since it means the status quo likely results in a lot of upcoming scheduled elite games will be in jeopardy of getting canceled.

Pete Sampson had a piece about this the other day with an interview with Bevacqua basically saying that A: yes he thinks it would get easier to schedule marquee nonconference games, and B: The playoff has become so central to the sport and how programs are run now that you have to make it easier for more teams to get in, unless you want the middle and lower-tier P4s (and everyone below that) to basically give up on football.
I don't like the 24-team playoff, but I understand the thinking.

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

Cons - Players resting, multiple games that won’t matter for everyone, continued unequal scheduling as there will be even less incentive to schedule hard

Pros - eff ESPN, elimination of conference title games, due to games not mattering - tv will demand brand on brand for a return on investment for their contract

 

[rikkitikki08]

Pro- It fucks espn and the sec monopoly they’ve tried to create and I think it may help ND with regular season scheduling.

Con- The regular season is going to matter less and less if they expand this to 24 teams. This isn’t and shouldn’t be like march madness.

 

[calvegas04]

Against it, unless the regular season is shortened. But then that ruins the game for non playoff teams

 

[Katzenboyer]

The playoff has become so central to the sport and how programs are run now that you have to make it easier for more teams to get in, unless you want the middle and lower-tier P4s (and everyone below that) to basically give up on football.

You fix that issue by expanding to 16. Not 24.

Also, the same exact thing was said about NIL (the big boys will dominate, the little guy will get screwed) and it's had the opposite effect; more teams have a shot now than they did when Clemson, Bama, and Georgia were hoarding five stars.

Texas Tech, James Madison and Tulane made the playoff last year. We're supposed to watch those games and want MORE of that?

 

[HouseofPain]

Go back to strength of schedule so the poor season ticket holders don’t keep getting bent over with the charmin soft schedules that they fork the big bucks out for. But then the preseason ranking clowns will just make the top ten be a total combo of SEC and B10 teams year in and year out.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

You fix that issue by expanding to 16. Not 24.

This is where I'm at. 16 is a rounder number. You don't need more than that. I know I-AA expanded from 16 years ago and I'm not a fan. I'd hate to see this happen in big time college football.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

16 is more than enough. 24 is just stupid. The same 20 teams get in every year. Everyone else might as well shut it down because if you aren't in the initial USA Today Coaches poll Top 25, you probably aren't getting in. Most of the Top 20 teams stay in the poll the whole year, just moving up and down inside the Top 20.

 

[Black Irish]

You fix that issue by expanding to 16. Not 24.

Also, the same exact thing was said about NIL (the big boys will dominate, the little guy will get screwed) and it's had the opposite effect; more teams have a shot now than they did when Clemson, Bama, and Georgia were hoarding five stars.

Texas Tech, James Madison and Tulane made the playoff last year. We're supposed to watch those games and want MORE of that?

For sure. Who wants to watch some 9-3 MAC team ranked #22 get annihilated by three TDs in the first round? It's like having two 7-5 teams play each other in the Southern Amalgamated Industries Tampon Bowl. A waste of time. I don't think the playoffs should have gone past 8 teams in the first place but that ship has long sailed.

 

[Dale]

The reasonings for one system versus the other is nothing more than:

- 14: ESPN still owns, skews SEC for bids
- 16: TV market opens up, CC cancelled, TV networks likely lose money. Extra playoff games don’t offset loss of CC games. Still likely favors SEC for new bids.
- 24: TV market opens up, CC cancelled, Fox namely believes they can make up loss of B1G game with aggregate new playoff games added.

We can assign value to an ACC or Big Ten coaching whining but whatever they say isn’t truly mattering. This is nothing more than a TV inventory fight.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

I hate ESPN and would love them to lose more control over the sport. But the 24 team playoff is to much and the regular season will suffer.

 

[Dale]

does everyone saying “F ESPN” think Fox is some morally superior entity to give power too? Like they aren’t gonna be problematic as well?

Unless NBC flys over the top and lands a monster chunk - unlikely - it’s just a horse of a different color to me

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

does everyone saying “F ESPN” think Fox is some morally superior entity to give power too? Like they aren’t gonna be problematic too?

No, but reducing ESPN power over the game is a good thing. Fox is just an avenue to get it done.

 

[Dale]

No, but reducing ESPN power over the game is a good thing. Fox is just an avenue to get it done.

Is it? The Big Ten/Fox has been as culpable in the destruction of the sport the last 15 years as the SEC/ESPN. I think saying Yay this is better will fade almost instantly….it may just not impact ND as much (we shouldn’t be fighting for our lives for a 24 team playoff spot)

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Is it? The Big Ten/Fox has been as culpable in the destruction of the sport the last 15 years as the SEC/ESPN. I think saying Yay this is better will fade almost instantly….it may just not impact ND as much (we shouldn’t be fighting for our lives for a 24 team playoff spot)

Yes, better than immoral Netflix or Amazon... It needs to happen. The SEC and ESPN relationship hurts the sport more than the Big 10/Fox relationship.

 

[greyhammer90]

Is it? The Big Ten/Fox has been as culpable in the destruction of the sport the last 15 years as the SEC/ESPN. I think saying Yay this is better will fade almost instantly….it may just not impact ND as much (we shouldn’t be fighting for our lives for a 24 team playoff spot)

Saying the SEC is responsible for the destruction of the sport is a very 2018 mindset. The B1G have been the main drivers of corporatization and destroying regionality for the last 5 years (or more). I hate the SEC/ESPN partnership as much as anyone, but the SEC hasn't been trying to get private equity deals, isn't openly trying to squeeze ND on scheduling to hurt our independence and hasn't been in favor of the absurdity of a 24 team playoff.

I'm not saying the SEC are innocent players (no conferences are), but their self-motivated positions have been much more "fan friendly" than the B1G over the last half decade and I don't think it's close.

 

[Dale]

Saying the SEC is responsible for the destruction of the sport is a very 2018 mindset. The B1G have been the main drivers of corporatization and destroying regionality for the last 5 years (or more). I hate the SEC/ESPN partnership as much as anyone, but the SEC hasn't been trying to get private equity deals, isn't openly trying to squeeze ND on scheduling to hurt our independence and hasn't been in favor of the absurdity of a 24 team playoff.

I'm not saying the SEC are innocent players (no conferences are), but their self-motivated positions have been much more "fan friendly" than the B1G over the last half decade and I don't think it's close.

110%

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

Saying the SEC is responsible for the destruction of the sport is a very 2018 mindset. The B1G have been the main drivers of corporatization and destroying regionality for the last 5 years (or more). I hate the SEC/ESPN partnership as much as anyone, but the SEC hasn't been trying to get private equity deals, isn't openly trying to squeeze ND on scheduling to hurt our independence and hasn't been in favor of the absurdity of a 24 team playoff.

I'm not saying the SEC are innocent players (no conferences are), but their self-motivated positions have been much more "fan friendly" than the B1G over the last half decade and I don't think it's close.

No one is waving Fox's flag or the Big 10. It is a means to an end. It will be great if Netflix and Amazon get involved also. I just want to break the iron grip of ESPN over the sport. It will help the sport and bring more money in.

 

[Dale]

The SEC and ESPN relationship hurts the sport more than the Big 10/Fox relationship.

It will help the sport and bring more money in.

How? I guess can you explain how this is true without just expressing disdain for ESPN? The theory here seems to just be - ESPN is worse because they are ESPN.

 

[greyhammer90]

How?

And why do I as a fan care about bringing in more money to college football?

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

How? I guess can you explain how this is true without just expressing disdain for ESPN? The theory here seems to just be - ESPN is worse because they are ESPN.

Well usually if you have multiple bidders on one product it can drive the price up. ESPN is a propaganda arm of the SEC. The illusion of the SEC being so much better than everyone else has been exposed. They (ESPN) have the biggest voice in the game and control way to much in the sport. It always slants to their entities. Bama for example did not belong in the playoff last year. But ESPN pushes this crap that the SEC is so much better than everyone they have to get it.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

And why do I as a fan care about bringing in more money to college football?

I care because it helps us with new facilities and funding sports. That is pretty evident.. More money=good

 

[greyhammer90]

Well usually if you have multiple bidders on one product it can drive the price up. ESPN is a propaganda arm of the SEC. The illusion of the SEC being so much better than everyone else has been exposed. They (ESPN) have the biggest voice in the game and control way to much in the sport. It always slants to their entities. Bama for example did not belong in the playoff last year. But ESPN pushes this crap that the SEC is so much better than everyone they have to get it.

This feels like a reason to lobby to change the playoff selection process, not to continue expanding the playoffs so that more of the television megacorporation's hand-picked entities can get into their planned ratings-bonanza invitational.

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

This feels like a reason to lobby to change the playoff selection process, not to continue expanding the playoffs so that more of the television megacorporation's hand-picked entities can get into their planned ratings-bonanza invitational.

I do not want 24, I just highlighted that it could have benefits. I want 12 or 16 max. But ending ESPN's power a bit could be good.

 

[MacIrish75]

110%

Saying the SEC is responsible for the destruction of the sport is a very 2018 mindset. The B1G have been the main drivers of corporatization and destroying regionality for the last 5 years (or more). I hate the SEC/ESPN partnership as much as anyone, but the SEC hasn't been trying to get private equity deals, isn't openly trying to squeeze ND on scheduling to hurt our independence and hasn't been in favor of the absurdity of a 24 team playoff.

I'm not saying the SEC are innocent players (no conferences are), but their self-motivated positions have been much more "fan friendly" than the B1G over the last half decade and I don't think it's close.

Frankly, I find the whole argument both cloying and saccharine.