Dennis Dodd:
Former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley is pitching a Group of Five playoff that would be financially backed by private equity, sources tell CBS Sports.
The concept would address -- if not be motivated by -- disappointment felt by the Group of Five conferences (MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt, American and Conference USA) over revenue distribution shares under the new College Football Playoff media rights agreement. The average program in those conferences will receive $1.8 million per year in CFP revenue beginning in 2026 under the new deal, up from the current $1.5 million payout.
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While Dooley's idea is in the development stages, sources stressed that financial involvement would be more than just funding a playoff. In one iteration of the proposal, as described to CBS Sports, eight division champions would play at the end of the regular season for the Group of Five's guaranteed CFP berth. "Significant dollars" would be at stake, according to one source with knowledge of the pitch.
Such an arrangement would require the 62 teams contained in the Group of Five conferences realigning into eight-team divisions.
www.cbssports.com
Former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley is pitching a Group of Five playoff that would be financially backed by private equity, sources tell CBS Sports.
The concept would address -- if not be motivated by -- disappointment felt by the Group of Five conferences (MAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt, American and Conference USA) over revenue distribution shares under the new College Football Playoff media rights agreement. The average program in those conferences will receive $1.8 million per year in CFP revenue beginning in 2026 under the new deal, up from the current $1.5 million payout.
...
While Dooley's idea is in the development stages, sources stressed that financial involvement would be more than just funding a playoff. In one iteration of the proposal, as described to CBS Sports, eight division champions would play at the end of the regular season for the Group of Five's guaranteed CFP berth. "Significant dollars" would be at stake, according to one source with knowledge of the pitch.
Such an arrangement would require the 62 teams contained in the Group of Five conferences realigning into eight-team divisions.
Group of Five playoff being pitched by Derek Dooley, financially backed by private equity firms
The ex-Tennessee coach's proposal is an attempt to offset the financial setback under the new CFP media rights deal
www.cbssports.com
