Sources: CFP ‘on target’ to figure out earnings split

• Heather Dinich, ESPN

  • Elder WriterMar 12, 2024, 05:19 PM ET Close College football press reporter
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of Indiana University

College Football Playoff leaders are “on target” to come to a resolution by the end of the week on a proposed revenue circulation and governance structure in the next agreement, sources informed ESPN, however some essential discussions remain before they accept sign a lucrative TV deal with ESPN.Commissioners of the

Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt, Mid-American Conference, Conference USA and American Athletic Conference aren’t keen on the proposed profits distribution, which sources stated would limit the Group of 5 conferences from making any substantial boost in earnings in the next contract, which would start in 2026. One source explained it a “slight uptick; nominal.”

The question is if there is enough pushback to postpone or hinder the development– or if those leagues are simply in a tough area and need to acquiesce or run the risk of being left out from the CFP. Sources have favored the latter.The CFP’s management committee was expected to have a discussion about it on Tuesday evening, and one source said the Group of 5 commissioners held their own different call to address the issue.Editor’s Picks Starting in 2026, ESPN is poised to invest approximately almost$1.3 billion

on the playoff for 6 seasons. The offer would include the last two years on the existing CFP contract, plus a brand-new six-year contract for the next version of the playoff, sources informed ESPN. ESPN is the sole rights-holder in the existing, 12-year contract, which expires following the 2025 season. The CFP will broaden from four to 12 groups this fall.The Big Ten and SEC have actually made it clear the next contract will be more financially beneficial than the existing one, where 80 %of the cash is split uniformly amongst the Power 5 leagues. 4 power conferences stay following sweeping adjustment, and the Big Ten and SEC have a combined 34 teams.Sources informed ESPN last month that conversations have focused around the SEC and Big 10 earning someplace in between 25%and 30%of the CFP earnings. The ACC and Big 12 would be next, and they ‘d earn someplace in between 15% and 20%. That leaves a smaller piece– somewhere around 6 %to 10% for the other leagues and almost 1%for Notre Dame.The mathematics isn’t clean, sources warn, as some money needs to go to expenditures and to places like existing independent UConn and potentially Oregon State and Washington State, if they don’t sign up with a conference in 2026. But those are the general monetary ballparks being gone over. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has actually made it clear that the SEC has delivered 40 %of the teams in the playoff and he has been among the main drivers behind a new income model.The 10 FBS commissioners are using Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the details with their athletic directors, presidents and chancellors and collect feedback. One source stated that” in an ideal world”they might concern an agreement on the income and TV deal as early as Thursday. Regardless of when there is a resolution, multiple sources have said the information of a format in 2026 and beyond– from the number of groups to how they qualify– won’t be settled up until after the TV offer is done.One stipulation that has actually been introduced and agreed upon according to sources is a”look-in”in 2028 to give the commissioners a possibility to review the contractual agreements based on how the field and performance has unfolded to that point

. There’s also a clause that permits that timeline to be sped up if there is “material realignment “once again.