The College Football Playoff (CFP) could soon expand to 24 teams. On Tuesday, the CFP announced a 30-day negotiation period with ESPN, highlighting significant interest in a 24-team playoff field possibly starting in 2027.

Heather Dinich from ESPN reported that this opportunity for expansion is not guaranteed. The current playoff format includes 12 teams, and whether an expansion will indeed result in 24 teams is still uncertain. However, the Big Ten and SEC have shown enough interest to explore its value with ESPN, the event’s rights holder.

The CFP stated, “The CFP has decided to move forward in its evaluation of potential Playoff expansion to 24 teams by beginning a media rights discussion with ESPN. This does not represent a decision or commitment to expand, but rather an opportunity to engage with ESPN and gather additional information to help determine a path forward. The CFP will provide additional updates when appropriate.”

Dinich pointed out that conference championship games might be on the verge of elimination. The expanded playoff needs to offset at least $200 million in media value coupled with tens of millions from ticketing, sponsorships, and other game-day revenues.

For fans, this would mark a significant transition since conference championship games have been part of college football for decades. Despite their entertainment value, their lack of impact on the national title picture often reduces them to exhibition games. The CFP aims to replace these with matchups that influence the national championship directly.

Last season’s Alabama vs. Georgia game serves as an example. Alabama, with a 10-2 record, played against Georgia, whose sole loss was to Alabama earlier in the year. Even with a 28-7 defeat, Alabama’s playoff hopes remained intact, since losses in those championship games are not considered by the committee.

Further details regarding the shaping of these new games and their impact on the chase for the national championship will be unveiled over the next 30 days.