Weighing how the ESPN-FOX-Warner Bros. merger could impact future of College Football Playoff

College athletics, as well as the media that presents them, have seen several significant shifts just in the past week or so. Now, with those powers all moving forward, On3’s Pete Nakos is beginning to wonder what it will mean for the future of the College Football Playoff.

Nakos joined for an interview during ‘The Paul Finebaum Show’ on Thursday. Amidst their conversation about the latest regarding the new advisory group alliance between the SEC and Big Ten as well as the newest streaming merger, Nakos pondered what it will mean for the future of the Playoff, specifically as it relates to how its layout as it becomes a 12-team field beginning later this year.

“I guess I’m really interested in, personally, to see what happens to the College Football Playoff,” said Nakos. “Greg Sankey made the point that right after the 2025 season that there is no College Football Playoff scheduled. Seeing how that plays out will be really interesting. The Washington State president Kirk Schulz has obviously been a thorn in the College Football Playoff managers’ move to that 5+7 model.”

With the compensation regarding media rights where they currently stand, Nakos continued by noting how the new agreement between ESPN, FOX, and Warner Bros. could weigh heavily when it comes to the future of the title race in college football.

“I think that’s what we all want to know,” said Nakos. “Warde Manuel, the Michigan athletic director, takes that role today as the leader, I guess, of the College Football Playoff committee. That doesn’t matter and that’s not a shot at Warde Manuel but it just doesn’t matter.

“So, yeah, I mean the College Football Playoff will have their annual spring meeting. I guess we’ll watch that but what does happen to the CFP?” Nakos continued. “You already brought it up. The media money doesn’t exactly seem to be there. Earlier this week, there was the merger of ESPN-Warner Bros.-FOX coming together for a streaming app.”

Shifts are coming from several different directions yet all around the same timeframe. That could make for an engaging series to follow as all the separate parties look to sort out their decisions separately and determining how it all affects the rest of the equation.

“It’s a very interesting moment right now with the CFP trying to figure out it’s future,” Nakos added. “And then these massive media companies also trying to figure out what their future is going to be like.”

Nakos: ACC, Big 12 ‘feel like they’re on outside looking in’

As both conferences head into the summer of 2024 with new members and a foundation of programs that undoubtedly make them the strongest two conferences in college athletics, the SEC and the Big Ten recently decided to join forces by announcing a joint advisory group of ADs and university presidents in an attempt to improve college athletics for student-athletes.

Sankey joined the Paul Finebaum show on Wednesday. In that interview, he discussed the partnership, college football’s pressing issues, and the future of the College Football Playoff. On3’s Pete Nakos then joined Finebaum on Thursday. He specifically touched on where the SEC-Big Ten merger currently leaves the ACC and Big 12 moving forward.

“I had someone ask me last week. They’re like ‘Hey, do you think that the ACC and the Big 12 would join?’. I’m like ‘No. There’s a reason why they were left out at the beginning.'” Nakos said. “So, yeah, I definitely think that those two conferences definitely feel like they’re on the outside looking in right now.”

“Commissioner Greg Sankey talked about the College Football Playoff yesterday and wanting to move to the 5+7 model. That would be better for the SEC and the Big Ten,” Nakos said. “So, yeah, I think that the ACC and the Big 12 right now? They’re not best positioned right now. Maybe they’re going to have to come together and try to figure out how to kind of gain a little bit more power. It’s so clear right now that the Big Ten and the ACC control all the chips.”