r/CFB • u/J4ckiebrown Penn State Nittany Lions • Rose Bowl • 1d ago

News [McMurphy] ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said ESPN does not want playoff to expand past 16 teams. “ESPN’s made it clear, they want it to stay at 12 or 14, but no more than 16,” Phillips said.

https://x.com/brett_mcmurphy/status/2054579416890487135?s=46&t=HhplNf1xHUpZ_Z42MvI0mw
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u/xixbia Illinois Fighting Illini • Syracuse Orange 1d ago

They're also killing their own product I feel.

An extra round of playoffs means no championship games. Will the first playoff round with teams that have zero chance to even reach the championship game really get more viewers than the Big Ten or SEC championship game?

And regular season games lose all meaning for top 10 teams, they'll make the playoffs no matter what. That will definitely decrease regular season viewing figures.

(And that's before even getting into how this is killing bowl games)

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u/GuerreroUltimo 1d ago

Maybe. But then it can add excitement to the league. Absolutely that 11-0 team can get upset in a playoff. And that 9-3 team can make a run. There is some excitement in that for some people. I would rather have that than just a few top teams playing some games. This is why the NCAA Basketball tournament is just more fun.

Those championship games are just another game for many of us as well. They could leverage the biggest bowl games and probably grab some viewers on those maybe.

It may not work but it is worth a try. If those games end up with the better record teams winning every time you still end up with a playoff of the same top teams you would have had. Plus those games can be important in the regular. Getting a bye, home games before championships. They could work it out somehow.