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The sports world constantly tears down longstanding tenets in pursuit of the almighty dollar, and on many occasions those greed-fueled changes have actually benefited the fans. But there comes a time when league brass’ ambition removes the essence of what made the product great in the first place.
A narrow pathway to a national championship gave college football a uniquely high-stakes feel during its regular season. Even so, the game has arguably become more unpredictable than ever following the implementation of a 12-team College Football Playoff. Notre Dame and Miami both contested respectable efforts in the title matchup despite residing outside the top-five (the Hurricanes grabbed the last slot), so perhaps this is the sweet spot.
Satisfaction is rarely found in the Power Four, however. The Big Ten, the conference that has succeeded the most in this era, is leading the charge for a 24-team expansion model. Commissioner Tony Petitti’s proposal is gaining steam even in the face of considerable skepticism. His Big 12 counterpart is firmly on board with the plan, and he is unsurprisingly using money to help justify it.
“In concept, I like the 24 [team CFP],” Brett Yormark said, per Bryan Fischer and Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated. “More access, I think, is great. More access would be great for the Big 12. Aside from that, I think coaches and how rosters are being built, and the cost of rosters, were all based on what does it cost to be one of 12? I think going to 24 takes some heat out of the system.”
The Big 12 commish is appealing to Power Four athletic directors, many of whom are under overwhelming pressure to secure a suitable NIL supply to spend on talented recruits and transfers. More chances to make the CFP could theoretically ease a program’s financial burden, but these comments still neglect the negative effect this suggested model could have on the consumer.
Yormark, Petitti and any other higher-up will be hard-pressed to make an argument that convinces fans that the regular season will still feel special in a 24-team CFP climate. They may not need one, however.
There are surely plenty of decision-makers who would indeed like to “take the heat out of the system,” and as that contingent grows larger, the public’s stance will unfortunately become less relevant. There might not be anything that can be done to stop this beast. The best that people can probably hope for is to slow it down.
The sports world constantly tears down longstanding tenets in pursuit of the almighty dollar, and on many occasions those greed-fueled changes have actually benefited the fans. But there comes a time when league brass’ ambition removes the essence of what made the product great in the first place.
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