ESPN scores 6-year, $7.8B contract extension to broadcast College Football Playoff | report

ESPN and the College Football Playoff reportedly have agreed to a contract extension to televise the 12-team playoff through the 2031 college football season, according to a Tuesday report by The Athletic.

The deal is reportedly worth $1.3 billion per season through the life of the extension.

The Athletic added the deal is still contingent on how the Pac-12's disbandment impacts the 12-team playoff expansion, which is set for this coming season. As of now, the sole members of the disbanded conference comprise Washington State and Oregon State. The report also notes the deal will not be ratified until commissioners and presidents vote on the final structure and format of the 12-team playoff.

REQUIRED READING: College Football Playoff history: Record, championships by teams, conferences in four-team era

ESPN reported in January that the network was working toward a new deal with the CFP, which included the final two years of the previous contract. The previous 12-year ESPN-CFP deal was set to expire after the 2025 season.

ESPN-College Football Playoff contract details

ESPN's deal with the CFP, which has reportedly been agreed upon but not yet finalized, features a six-year extension through the 2031 college football season (2032 College Football Playoff). The contract is reportedly worth $1.3 billion per season, according to The Athletic.

The total value of the extension is worth roughly $7.8 billion — $800 million more than the seven-year, $7 billion deal the Big Ten reached with numerous networks, including Fox, CBS and NBC.

By agreeing to a contract with the CFP, ESPN — which also in the midst of a 10-year media rights deal with the Southeastern Conference that runs through 2023-24 — will continue to be a preeminent presence in college football. The SEC won six national championships under the four-team format, which lasted 10 seasons beginning in 2014.

However, The Athletic reported one caveat in the contract: ESPN reportedly will be able to sublicense broadcast rights for certain games, meaning another network could potentially broadcast CFP games for the first time. The closest approximation to such an agreement occurs in the NCAA Tournament, which features broadcasts by both CBS and TNT and their sister stations.

REQUIRED READING: SEC won't win CFP championship for first time since 2018 after Alabama's Rose Bowl loss

When does the College Football Playoff expand?

The College Football Playoff is set to expand for the 2024 season, although the final details regarding how the 12 teams will be selected are yet to be determined.

The CFP originally featured four teams that were selected by the CFP selection committee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: ESPN scores 6-year TV extension with College Football Playoff | Report