- The network says it is willing to pay up to $1.3 billion to retain exclusive rights
- ESPN has owned the rights to the championship since its inception in 2014
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ESPN has partnered with the College Football Playoff to be the exclusive rights holder of the championship series for the next eight years.
The framework of the deal would include the final two years of the current CFP contract, as well as a new six-year agreement for the next round of TV rights for the playoffs.
ESPN reported this that the company is considering paying approximately $1.3 billion for the rights in that new six-year deal.
The plans of the ten FBS commissioners plus the University of Notre Dame athletic director were to have multiple broadcast partners in a model similar to the NFL.
But it appears that the agreement will not be reached if this deal does indeed go through.
The College Football Playoff could reach an agreement on future television rights
ESPN reports that it is willing to spend up to $1.3 billion to extend the rights for six years
This was revealed before the kickoff of the national title game between Michigan and Washington
ESPN is currently the sole rights holder to the CFP and originally agreed to a twelve-year deal that runs until 2025.
Although this report was released just before the national championship game between Michigan and Washington, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock says the group is no longer in an exclusive negotiating window with the network.
“I have to say this is a negotiation, so I can't tell you much about it,” Hancock told ESPN. “We're happy with where we are and we're not quite at the finish line yet.”
The College Football Playoff was officially established as the sport's national championship in 2014, replacing the old Bowl Championship Series.