We look back at the College Football Playoff and, for all its warts, a decade of vastly improved four-team arrangements. The new format generated greater interest, more revenue, and some controversy.
Although carefully reviewed for adjustments, major changes to the 12-team setup are unlikely until after the 2026 season.
My thoughts so far:
(1) Why not settle for 16 teams (someday inevitable) with eight first round games on their home fields (so no buys)? Instead of 13 “judges” picking teams, a four-conference playoff will settle most of them. League champions and runners-up in the four major conference championship games should advance. That same day, it will also allow two more players to advance from the Big Ten and SEC to conduct additional “playoff games.”
(2) It doesn’t have to last that long. We start the season in August on August 0 for everyone. In 2024, the regular season could have ended on November 23 with a conference playoff game on November 30. CFP will play eight games on Dec. 6-7, four games on Dec. 13-14, Christmas and two semifinals and the title game on Jan. 1, preferably at the Rose Bowl.
Give Army-Navy an open TV slot, but not the entire Saturday. When it comes to bowls, they get it.
money talks again
A load of names, images and likenesses escapes from the cap. Okay, what does that mean?
Starting next school year, Illini athletic director Josh Whitman announced a $20 million grant to current varsity athletes in anticipation of settling the hefty case brought by former Arizona swimmer Grant House. supervise the distribution of
This amount is the same in states like Ohio, Texas, and Alabama.
It is the revenue sharing “CAP” that major football playing programs feel obligated to meet, the 10-year 2.75 billion owed to the 14,000 former players enrolled between 2016 and 2020. This is not to be confused with mandatory damages of $1,000.
So it’s a double midway through the spectacular costs that Whitman and other major advertising will face next fall, and lower costs for smaller conferences that they find unfair and inappropriate.
Stay tuned for the upcoming “CAP” as the athletic department will share revenue with athletes for the first time… First, namely, a lucrative scholarship and a $6,000 scholarship resulting from the Supreme Court’s 9-0 vote If you don’t count the Alston attendance costs case.
In 2025-26, athletes can also receive checks from athletic departments and re-enter them into the NIL market, but the latter must be at “fair market value” – excuse my skepticism, Promotion of products and services. The clearinghouse must approve any transaction over $600.
Therefore, it appears that the collective is going out of business and its contributors will definitely return to the old business of below-the-table trading.
Deals like the rumored $4 million offer to Michigan State recruit Bryce Underwood are not legal under the NCAA’s new NCAA standards… I’m assuming you have that.
tons of questions
Title IX is another unresolved aspect that increases uncertainty as to whether Power 4 football coaches are operating on the bulk of $20 million or a similar percentage of $10.25 million. is.
So we’re moving forward in complete disarray with the state of Ohio and others and preparing to fight it in court.
Lots of questions:
Will the owar power conference find a way around the federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities that receive federal financial support?
South South Dakota and smaller conferences that join the Ivy League will pay $2.75 billion to former athletes to either drop out or legally challenge House settlements related to their part for 10 years. Do you want to quit paying compensation?
How many athletic department employees will receive walking papers to meet these new payments?
Finally, will the NCAA find the authority to police the “CAP rule” designed to allow Big Ten football programs like Illinois to compete more favorably with powerhouse programs?
Lauren Tate writes for the News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@newsgazette.com.
