Big 12 and ACC Move Forward in Adoption of Future CFP Agreement

The Big 12 and ACC are on board with the new College Football Playoff revenue model. An article from Yahoo Sports’ Senior College Football Reporter Ross Dellenger broke down the conference activity:

“Presidents in the ACC and Big 12 voted to authorize their commissioners to adopt the future framework related to a new CFP, including a new revenue model and concepts around a playoff format — all of which will be part of a new contract with ESPN.”

Getting the Big 12 and ACC on board with the proposed deal marks a big win for the new playoff framework. While a 12-team, 5+7 model was adopted for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, uncertainty remains regarding how the CFP might look in 2026.

Traction has been gaining as of late for an expanded 14-team playoff in 2026. The even further expanded playoff would increase access and revenue for its participants, coinciding with the CFP’s new media rights deal with ESPN which has an expected valuation of $1.3 billion (beginning in 2026).

While the specifics of an expansion to the current 12-team playoff model have yet to be confirmed, talks regarding revenue share for the 2026 season (and beyond) are nearing completion.

In previous revenue distribution structures, the Power Five conferences would evenly split around 80% of the CFP’s revenue. With the liquidation of the Pac-12, expansion of the CFP, and nearly tripled revenue earnings thanks to the ESPN deal, a new model has begun to take shape.

In the updated proposal, the one accepted by the Big 12 and ACC, the revenue split between the Power Four conferences would increase to around 90%.

Specifically, the SEC and Big-10 would combine to earn about 58% of the CFP’s revenue, the Big 12 and ACC would account for 32% of the earnings, and the remaining 10% would be split between Notre Dame (independent) and the remaining 64 Group of Five teams.

“No school’s revenue will decrease as the CFP is expected to earn three times the amount it did in the four-team version,” said Ross Dellenger in his Yahoo Sports article.

“Major conference schools currently receive about $6 million in distribution from the CFP. The SEC and Big Ten schools will see their annual distribution triple if not quadruple into the low $20 million range. The Big 12 and ACC are set to see a doubling of their previous amounts.”

It’s hard to argue with your annual CFP revenue doubling. Despite being overshadowed slightly by the SEC and Big 10, the Big 12 and ACC are hardly the losers in this new model. Between added playoff spots for their teams and increased revenue for their schools, the expansion of the CFP is very equitable for all who participate.