×

CFP expansion stalls as commissioners sort issues

(AP) — A plan to expand the College Football Playoff stalled Wednesday when the college sports administrators who oversee the postseason system were unable to reach consensus on whether to grow the postseason format from four to 12 teams.

The 10 major college conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director who make up the CFP management committee met to share feedback from their members and address concerns about the expansion proposal that was unveiled in June.

“There’s still issues that need to be discussed,” CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock told AP.

Among the issues: the number of teams. Hancock said an eight-team format was part of the discussions Wednesday.

The meeting in the Dallas area, which was attended in person by some of the participants and virtually by others, was prelude to a session in Chicago next week that was supposed to include the CFP board of managers.

The board is comprised of university presidents and chancellors representing each conference. The board has final say in all matters related to the playoff and there was hope the management committee would bring the presidents a recommendation to approve a format change.

Instead, the management committee will reconvene Tuesday, with the presidents joining via Zoom.

“There won’t be a vote next week,” Hancock said. “Next week will be, I’ll call it an informational meeting. It’s complicated.”

Hancock added: “We have time.”

When the process first began, the 2023 season seemed like the soonest an expansion plan could be implemented.

After the latest meeting, Hancock talked about 2024.

“I can’t say what the timetable might be, but I would say if we want to expand beginning in the 2024 season, we have a few months,” he said. “But if we want to change the format beginning in 2026, after the 12-year contract (with ESPN) is over, we have a couple of years.”

The management committee and presidents routinely meet at the site of the College Football Playoff national championship game to discuss the state of the CFP. This season’s game will be held on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today