If the newly expanded College Football Playoff starts before of the end of its current contract, it is most likely to be put in place ahead of the 2025 season, CBS Sports has learned after speaking to several sources involved in the process. That would be one year before the CFP's 12-year deal with ESPN expires.
That issue will be among the many that FBS commissioners have to consider when they take a deep dive into the structure of the 12-team playoff beginning Thursday in Dallas.
As of now, the expanded playoff will debut following the 2026 season at the latest. However, the desire is to start as soon as possible, the earliest date being after the 2024 season. That would allow access to an annual payday that could reach $1.6 billion for the 12-team field, industry sources tell CBS Sports.
"If everyone wants to get there [by 2024], they will," said a person who will be in the room.
The logistics of an early start are massive. They range from navigating around NFL dates to necessitating approval of university presidents to extend a season that could end as late as the bye weekend before the Super Bowl in February.
It is undetermined how long the process will take. The commissioners will next assemble in a previously scheduled CFP meeting on Sept. 28. But time is running out. There are complications with stadium and hotel availability. The commissioners will also have to address the athlete welfare angle as two teams could potentially play up to 17 games, the equivalent of an NFL regular season.
In February the CFP announced the end of early expansion talks, in part because the logistics were too much to overcome. That all changed when the CFP Board of Managers (presidents) got involved and voted in a 12-team field themselves last Friday.
Thursday marks only the beginning of incredibly intricate decision-making process. Among the items that need to be decided upon:
Determining playoff dates
Friday's release stated first-round games on campus will be played at least 12 days after conference championship games. That would make the start mid-December with playoff games running alongside bowl season. The quarterfinals would be held around the turn of the year. The rub comes with the semifinals beginning 8-10 days into the NFL playoffs. One source ventured a guess: the semifinals could be played across consecutive days in the middle of a week away from NFL games. The CFP National Championship could then be played 10 days to a couple weeks later.