"ESPN Secures $7.8 Billion Extension for College Football Playoff Coverage"
ESPN and the College Football Playoff have agreed to a six-year extension worth $7.8 billion, keeping the postseason format on the network through the 2031 season. The new deal illustrates the outstanding success of the playoff and the increasing interest in the 12-team format, with ESPN retaining its immense clout in the world of college athletics. The expanded format will begin during the 2024 season, and the playoff still must work through the nuts and bolts of the 12-team arrangement before the new deal goes into effect.