or


[11/21/12 - 10:01 AM]
ESPN Reaches 12-Year Agreement For New College Football Playoff
The agreement will begin after the 2014 regular season (including January 2015) and continue through after the 2025 regular season (January 2026).

[via press release from ESPN]

ESPN Reaches 12-Year Agreement For New College Football Playoff

All Related Games Including National Championship, Semifinals And More

ESPN and the group that will administer the new college football playoff have reached an agreement in principle to present the playoff games and selected other games for 12 years on an exclusive basis across ESPN's platforms. The agreement will begin after the 2014 regular season (including January 2015) and continue through after the 2025 regular season (January 2026). It includes the national championship game and semifinals, as well as other bowl games that will be part of the rotation to host the semifinals. Combined with previous deals for the Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowls, the arrangement would provide ESPN with rights to all games that are involved in the new post-season arrangement to determine a college football national champion.

The agreement was announced today by ESPN President John Skipper and Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the BCS and the future college football playoff.

ESPN would feature the games on ESPN, ESPN Radio, ESPN Mobile TV and via WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets and Xbox LIVE. Additionally, ESPN would have the rights to distribute the matchups on ESPN 3D, ESPN Deportes and around the world via ESPN International.

Specifically, the arrangement would provide ESPN with rights to:

· Championship Games: Coverage of each year's championship game pitting the semifinal winners against each other on the Monday at least seven days after the semifinals at sites to be determined by the commissioners.

· Semifinals: Coverage of two semifinals each year matching four seeded teams identified by a selection committee to be named by the commissioners. The semifinals will be rotated among six bowl games consisting of three "contract bowls" and three "host bowls" to be determined by the commissioners.

· Additional bowls in the playoff format: Coverage of all remaining games from the sites of the three "host bowls" during the years those bowls are not semifinal sites. Note: ESPN had previously secured the rights to the Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowl games for the same 12-year period (through January 2026).

· Related programming: Exclusive rights to branded content throughout each season, including the official team-selection announcement.

"Because of college football's widespread popularity and the incredible passion of its fans, few events are more meaningful than these games," Skipper said. "We are ecstatic at the opportunity to continue to crown a college football champion on ESPN's outlets for years to come, the perfect finale to our year-round commitment to the sport."

Hancock added, "We are delighted to continue our relationship with ESPN for 12 more years. ESPN's outlets provide numerous opportunities to bring this iconic event to the fans. Folks are going to love this playoff and the attention ESPN will give to it."

ESPN is in the midst of a four-year agreement for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The network televises all five games from the current format, including the Rose, Sugar, Orange and Fiesta Bowls, as well as the BCS National Championship Game. The two BCS National Championship Games on ESPN (2011, 2012) have generated the two largest audiences for any program in the history of cable television.

The new playoff will be administered by the Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and independent institutions.

The agreement in principle is subject to completion of definitive documentation and all necessary approvals.

About the Bowl Championship Series

The BCS is a five-game arrangement for post-season college football that is managed by the 11 Bowl Subdivision conferences and independent institutions. Its purpose is to match the two top-ranked teams in a national championship game and to create competitive match-ups in the four other BCS bowl games. For more information, visit http://www.bcsfootball.org.

ESPN Senior Vice President, College Sports Programming Burke Magnus participated in a podcast with ESPN Front Row to discuss the agreement: http://wp.me/p2UdgX-boD





  [november 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[09/30/24 - 04:02 PM]
50th Season Premiere of "Saturday Night Live" on Sept. 28 Draws 5.3 Million Viewers on NBC in Live Same-Day Viewing, The Most for a Season Premiere Since 2020
The episode ranks as the most-watched "SNL" ever on Peacock through the first weekend.

[09/30/24 - 02:15 PM]
Discovery Channel October Programming Highlights
"Contraband: Seized at the Airport" and "Homestead Rescue" join the previously announced "Destinations of the Damned with Zak Bagans," "Lost Monster Files," and "Expedition Unknown."

[09/30/24 - 01:46 PM]
"Inside Out 2" Is the No. 1 Film Premiere on Disney+ in 2024, Driving 30.5 Million Views Globally in 5 Days
Said premiere was also the No. 1 Theatrical film premiere on Disney+ since Walt Disney Animation Studios' Encanto (2021), and the No. 1 film premiere of all time in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) and LATAM (Latin America).

[09/30/24 - 01:16 PM]
ABC News Announces Primetime Coverage and Analysis of the 2024 Election and the Vice Presidential Candidates with Special Programming on ABC, ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu on Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 7:00 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. EDT
ABC network coverage will kick off with a one-hour linear and streaming special report, "Race for the White House," beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT.

[09/30/24 - 01:00 PM]
Video: Prime Video's "Like a Dragon: Yakuza" Reveals Trailer and Key Art
The first three episodes will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories starting on Thursday, October 24, with the next three episodes available on Thursday, October 31.

[09/30/24 - 11:01 AM]
FOX Nation Becomes Home to All-New Seasons of Hit Series "God. Family. Football." Premiering This October
Originally available on Amazon, FOX Nation will re-launch the show with a new season featuring eight never-before-seen episodes dropping every Friday night, starting on October 11, and running throughout the fall.

[09/30/24 - 10:19 AM]
Food Network Celebrates the Season with Over 46 Hours of Holiday Programming Including First-Ever Harry Potter Themed Baking Competition "Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking"
Other highlights include "Holiday Wars," "Holiday Baking Championship," "Christmas Cookie Challenge," "Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown," and "Kids Baking Championship."

[09/30/24 - 10:01 AM]
ID Presents Its Third Annual No Excuse for Abuse Campaign This October, Featuring the Premiere of "Chris Brown: A History of Violence"
Throughout the month, this campaign underscores ID's unwavering commitment to shedding light on the multifaceted and complex dynamics of intimate partner violence with resources and programming initiatives.

[09/30/24 - 09:38 AM]
Sweet Relief and MTV Documentary Films' "Casa Bonita Mi Amor!" to Premiere on Paramount+ on Wednesday, October 2nd
The film had an extended nationwide theatrical run after winning the Audience Award at the Tribeca Festival and screening at the Telluride Film Festival.

[09/30/24 - 09:03 AM]
New Max Original Competition Series "Roller Jam," Starring Jordin Sparks, Johnny Weir, and Terrell Ferguson, Debuts October 10
The six-episode competition series features the top roller-skating crews in the country dancing through the decades for a chance to win a $150,000 cash prize and a $10,000 donation to their local rink.

[09/30/24 - 09:03 AM]
Award-Winning Artist, Horror Enthusiast and "Halloqueen" Janelle Monae to Host AMC Networks' "FearFest," The Monster-Sized, Long-Running Celebration of Horror and Genre, on AMC and AMC+
MonĂ¡e will be featured throughout the month-long, monster-sized party in the official "FearFest" trailer and social campaign sharing her love of the genre, favorite thrillers, and showcasing her horror score knowledge and musical prowess.

[09/30/24 - 09:02 AM]
Video: "Envious" - Season 2 Announcement - Netflix
After a devastating breakup at almost forty, Vicky goes in search of a new love. But she doesn't know that she's now beginning a profound - and funny - journey of self-discovery...

[09/30/24 - 09:01 AM]
Peacock and Reggaeton Pioneer, Daddy Yankee, Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Premiere of New Docuseries "Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World"
Unveiling the riveting narrative of Reggaeton's global journey, the series explores the genre's evolution from its beginnings in the barrios of Puerto Rico to its current status as a cultural and commercial powerhouse in the global music industry.

[09/30/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "No Good Deed" - Official Announcement - Netflix
Every house has its secrets. "No Good Deed" premieres on December 12, only on Netflix.

[09/30/24 - 08:49 AM]
Cillian Murphy and Steven Knight Reunite on the Set of "Peaky Blinders" Film Which Has Started Production Today
Cillian Murphy reprises his role as the iconic Tommy Shelby in the film written by the show's creator, Steven Knight, who produces alongside Patrick Holland, Cillian Murphy and Guy Heeley.