ESPN and TNT Sports Forge Five-Year Agreement for College Football Playoff Coverage

May 23, 2024 — ESPN and TNT Sports have announced a landmark five-year agreement for TNT Sports to sublicense select College Football Playoff (CFP) games from ESPN, commencing with the upcoming college football season.

Under the terms of the agreement, TNT Sports will air two first-round College Football Playoff games during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. From the 2026 season through the 2028 season, TNT Sports will add two quarterfinal games annually. TNT will be the primary network televising these sublicensed CFP games, with additional coverage on other TNT Sports distribution platforms.

ESPN will continue to present all other College Football Playoff games on its networks, including the annual CFP National Championship Game. ESPN will also maintain its role in managing the sponsorship program for the CFP.

“We’re delighted to reach this agreement with ESPN, providing TNT Sports the opportunity to showcase these College Football Playoff games on our platforms for years to come,” said Luis Silberwasser, Chairman and CEO of TNT Sports. “TNT Sports aims to delight fans and drive maximum reach and engagement for these marquee games.”

"ESPN is pleased to sublicense to TNT Sports a select number of early-round games of the College Football Playoff, an event we’ve helped to grow – alongside the CFP – into one of the preeminent championships,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN executive vice president, programming & acquisitions. “We’re confident in the reach and promotion that this new agreement will provide as we enter the new, expanded playoff era.”

“It is exciting to add TNT Sports, another highly respected broadcaster, to the College Football Playoff family,” added Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff. “Sports fans across the country are intimately familiar with their work across a wide variety of sports properties over the past two decades, and we look forward to seeing what new and innovative ideas they bring to the promotion and delivery of these games.”

The agreement comes as the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12. The four highest-ranking conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and receive first-round byes. The first round will feature four games played at home campus venues, with teams seeded 5-8 hosting teams seeded 9-12.

Key dates for the 2024-25 CFP schedule:

• CFP First Round: Dec. 20-21
• CFP Quarterfinals:
  • Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: Dec. 31
  • Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Jan. 1
  • Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential: Jan. 1
  • Allstate Sugar Bowl: Jan. 1
• CFP Semifinals:
  • Capital One Orange Bowl: Jan. 9
  • Goodyear Cotton Bowl: Jan. 10
• CFP National Championship Game: Jan. 20 (Atlanta, Ga.)

Further details regarding programming plans for the College Football Playoff will be announced at a later date.