The College Football Playoff: A Look Back at the 2022 Negotiations and the Future Ahead

In January of 2022, a pivotal meeting took place at the JW Marriott hotel in downtown Indianapolis where the most powerful leaders in college football gathered to vote on expanding the College Football Playoff. After months of discussions and disagreements, the meeting ended without a decision, leaving the future of the playoff in limbo.

Fast forward to last month, when commissioners finally agreed on a new CFP structure with an uneven revenue distribution model that heavily favors the SEC and Big Ten conferences. This new deal has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the growing gap between the haves and have-nots in college athletics.

The new revenue distribution model will see the SEC and Big Ten schools earning significantly more than their counterparts in the ACC and Big 12. This disparity has led to fears of financial instability and potential conference realignment as schools seek to secure their financial futures.

The negotiations for the new CFP deal were described as “heated” and “challenging” by ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who was one of the few remaining members of the Alliance that opposed the expansion in 2022. The SEC and Big Ten, on the other hand, pushed for a deal that reflected their contributions to the success of the playoff.

As the college football landscape continues to evolve, questions remain about the future of the sport. Will the SEC and Big Ten continue to dominate, or will other conferences find ways to level the playing field? How will the new revenue distribution model impact smaller programs and conferences?

One thing is clear: the decisions made in that fateful meeting in 2022 have had far-reaching consequences for college football. The sport is at a crossroads, and the choices made now will shape its future for years to come.