Fox Sports CEO Advocates Expanding College Football Playoff to 24 Teams
College football never really stops changing, does it? Lately, the buzz about expanding the College Football Playoff (CFP) just keeps getting louder.
Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks stirred things up by floating the idea of a 24-team playoff. It’s a big swing—one that could shake up the postseason and give more teams a shot at the title.
Shanks dropped his thoughts during an interview with Colin Cowherd at a Sports Business Journal conference. The Big Ten, which has plenty to gain from a bigger playoff, seems to be on the same page.
So, what would a 24-team CFP actually mean for college football? Let’s poke around the upsides, the headaches, and what it could do to the sport as a whole.
Contents
The Case for a 24-Team College Football Playoff
Eric Shanks’ Endorsement
Shanks thinks a 24-team playoff would make both early and late-season games better. He says it’d let teams schedule tougher non-conference games without freaking out about a single early loss ruining their shot at the playoffs.
“If you don’t get penalized for playing those big non-conference games early and there’s a bigger pool of teams that can get into a 24-team playoff, the schedule gets better in September. And then in November, you have more meaningful games because a lot more teams are in play to be able to get in,” Shanks explained.
Improved Non-Conference Scheduling
Right now, with just 12 playoff spots, teams often play it safe with their non-conference schedules. Who wants to risk it all in September?
But if there’s more room in the playoffs, maybe teams would actually go for those big matchups. That could make the regular season a lot more fun.
More Meaningful Late-Season Games
Another perk? More teams would still be in the hunt late in the year. November could get a lot more interesting, with more games that actually matter.
That’s good for fans, but also for TV networks and advertisers. People tune in when the stakes are high.
Broadcasting Opportunities and Financial Implications
Exclusive Rights and New Bidding Opportunities
ESPN currently owns the whole CFP through the 14-team format, and they’ve let TNT Sports have a piece, too. Expanding to 24 teams would open the door for other networks—like Fox—to get in on the action.
More bidders means those media rights could get a lot more expensive, and that’s money flowing into college football.
Fox’s Strategic Interests
Fox already has the top Big Ten regular-season games, but they’re left out of the current CFP mix. No surprise they’re pushing for expansion.
Landing some playoff games would be a huge boost for Fox’s sports lineup.
Alignment with the Big Ten
Fox and the Big Ten are pretty much joined at the hip. Fox owns a big chunk of the Big Ten Network and handles their media rights.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti is all-in on a bigger playoff, too. The conference has even laid out its own 24-team format, with 23 at-large teams and one spot for a Group-of-6 school—no automatic qualifiers anywhere in sight.
Challenges and Considerations
Scheduling Adjustments
Moving to 24 teams would mess with the calendar. One idea is bumping the season start up to “Week 0” by 2027.
Doubling the playoff field could also put conference championship games on the chopping block, since the postseason would start stretching out.
Logistical Challenges
There’s also the headache of fitting all those extra games in. More travel, more games—more wear and tear on student-athletes.
People worry about player safety and whether these kids can keep up with their schoolwork. Not easy problems to solve.
Stakeholder Skepticism
Fox and the Big Ten are gung-ho, but not everyone’s convinced. Some say a bigger playoff would water down the regular season and make conference championships less meaningful.
Then there’s the bowl games, which have been around forever. What happens to them if the playoff takes over?
The Road Ahead
Focus on 2027
The 12-team format is locked in through 2026, so nothing changes right away. But 2027 is looming, and there’s a lot to sort out before anything gets set in stone.
Will a 24-team playoff actually happen? Hard to say, but the debate’s not going anywhere. If it does move forward, there’s a ton of work ahead to make sure it doesn’t blow up what people love about college football.
Potential Impact on College Football
Expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams could shake things up in a big way. The regular season, postseason, and even the broadcasting scene might all look pretty different.
With more teams getting a shot at the national championship, you’d probably see a boost in competitiveness. That kind of change could pull in more fans, too.
Of course, there’s the tricky part—logistics and scheduling. Making it all work smoothly isn’t exactly a small task.
If you’re curious about where things are headed, it’s worth keeping an eye on the ongoing debate. Dive deeper into the topic and check out Eric Shanks’ endorsement of a 24-team College Football Playoff for more details.
