Warner Bros. Discovery and ESPN strike 5-year deal for College Football Playoff games

Warner Bros. Discovery has signed a five-year deal with Disney’s ESPN to broadcast first-round and quarterfinal College Football Playoff games. Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT will carry two first round games this year and next year, and two additional quarterfinal games starting in 2026. Disney will maintain exclusivity on the championship game throughout the contract, which runs through 2031. Under the new format, the top four teams get byes while teams ranked No. 5 through No. 12 play first-round games at the higher-ranked team’s home stadium. ESPN will produce the games and primarily use ESPN talent for the broadcasts. Warner Bros. Discovery will pay ESPN an average amount per year for the games over five years. This year’s first round of the CFP will take place on Dec. 20 and 21.