IRVING, Texas — The College Football Playoff management committee gained some clarity over details of the upcoming 12-team playoff and positioning of the Army-Navy game during two days of meetings, which concluded Wednesday. However, the group ultimately left without discussing many long-term key priorities, including expansion or auto-bid structure.
The board, made up of the 10 FBS conference commissioners and new Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, primarily dealt with recapping the 2023 playoff and organizing logistics of the upcoming 12-team playoff. (One key commissioner was not present due to a family matter.) The discussion was deep in minutia and included everything from ref assignments to family travel budgets for players, which increased from $1.5 million to $7.5 million as the CFP increases from funding three to 11 games.
“The four first-round games are arguably the biggest change in FBS football probably since the BCS came,” executive director Bill Hancock said. “Only four schools will host those games, but 40 or so have to plan to host, so there are a lot of details in there.”
This was the first meeting with the full board since the SEC and Big Ten strong-armed a much bigger slice of the longterm CFP revenue. Still, multiple sources described the attitude in the room as “collegial.”
These meetings marked a period of transition for the CFP as college football enters its next form. Incoming executive director Richard M. Clark attended his first annual meeting as he prepares to take over for Hancock. Clark officially retires from his role as superintendent of the Air Force Academy at the end of May and joins the CFP full time in June. Additionally, incoming AAC commissioner Tim Pernetti joined Mike Aresco, who…
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