USA TODAY
The national championship game Monday night between Clemson and LSU marks the halfway point of one of the most valuable American sports media properties of the 21st century – the 12-year contract between ESPN and the College Football Playoff.
Six playoffs down, six to go. But then what? To assess what might be in store for the future, USA TODAY Sports took stock of the past six years and beyond, using financial documents and analysis from experts in television and sports media rights.
They show a financial enterprise that is operating so successfully that there seems to be just two logical paths forward – to leave well-enough alone or pursue additional growth through an expansion of the playoff from four to eight teams.