College Football Playoff

What College Football Playoff does

College Football Playoff (CFP) is the sanctioned governing body and tournament organizer for the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) postseason, established in 2014 to replace the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with 11-50 employees, CFP is a private consortium jointly governed by the 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame, overseen by Executive Director Rich Clark and a selection committee. Its core product is the postseason national championship tournament, which expanded from 4 to 12 teams in 2024 and runs through a First Round (on-campus games), Quarterfinals and Semifinals hosted at six traditional bowl games (Fiesta, Cotton, Peach, Rose, Orange, Sugar), and the National Championship game. Supporting products include the weekly Selection Committee Rankings, the CFBPlayoff mobile app (iOS/Android), the CFP Foundation charitable arm, and the Playoff Green environmental initiative.

CFP's technology footprint is deliberately limited and consumer-facing rather than platform-oriented: a mobile app for rankings, ticketing, and on-demand content, an official website, and licensing infrastructure managed through Collegiate Licensing Company (merchandise) and Catapult Sports (digital/IP rights). The April 2026 brand identity refresh introduced a new logo system and 'Video' typeface. There is no public indication of proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or developer-facing platforms; tournament operations and selection committee deliberations remain human-driven.

CFP generates revenue through media rights, sponsorships, and licensed merchandise. ESPN holds exclusive broadcast rights through 2031 under a six-year, $7.8 billion deal (~$1.3 billion annually), with TNT Sports layering additional quarterfinal and semifinal rights starting in 2025. Sponsorship partners include Avocados From Mexico (third consecutive year as Official Avocado Brand). Because CFP is structured as a conference consortium rather than a traditional commercial enterprise, the bulk of media-rights value flows back to the FBS conferences and bowl venues, with the central organization operating on a lean cost base. Reach is significant: the 2026 National Championship drew 30.1 million viewers, the most-watched college football game in 11 years.

Name

College Football Playoff

Legal name

College Football Playoff

Website

https://collegefootballplayoff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is the governing body and tournament organizer for the NCAA Division I FBS postseason, running the 12-team playoff, selection committee rankings, and national championship for the 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College Football Postseason Tournament

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Collegiate Athletic Conferences & Associations (MPAKACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

College & University Sports Networks (Conference/School-Owned) (MPABAJAD)

Keywords

• College football postseason
• Sports event management
• Bowl game operations
• Media rights licensing
• National championship tournament

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Media Rights: ESPN holds exclusive media rights through 2031 with a six-year, $7.8 billion deal worth $1.3 billion annually. TNT Sports is expanding its CFP broadcast rights, adding two quarterfinals and a semifinal to its slate in the first season of ESPN's media rights extension.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is the postseason tournament that determines the NCAA Division I FBS national champion in college football. The CFP operates a 12-team single-elimination playoff that runs through first-round on-campus games, quarterfinals and semifinals hosted at six major bowl venues (Fiesta, Cotton, Peach, Rose, Orange, Sugar), and concludes with the National Championship game. The CFP manages selection committee rankings, distributes broadcast rights, and produces associated fan-facing assets such as the mobile app, championship trophy, and rings.

Product overview

The College Football Playoff is a single, unified postseason tournament product that determines the national champion of NCAA Division I FBS college football. The current 12-team playoff format expanded from the original 4-team format in 2024. The playoff consists of multiple rounds: First Round (on-campus games), Quarterfinals (bowl games), Semifinals (bowl games), and the National Championship game. The portfolio includes the core playoff event, a companion mobile app (CFBPlayoff), community initiatives through Playoff Green and the CFP Foundation, the National Championship Trophy and Rings, and the Selection Committee Rankings process. The six major bowl games (Fiesta, Cotton, Peach, Rose, Orange, Sugar) serve as hosts for quarterfinal and semifinal matchups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Playoff Green: Environmental sustainability initiative associated with the College Football Playoff focusing on marine conservation and environmental stewardship.
• Perry the Pylon

Products and services

• College Football Playoff (12-Team Tournament) Single-elimination postseason tournament that determines the NCAA Division I FBS college football national champion across multiple rounds hosted at six major bowl venues, culminating in a National Championship game.
• CFBPlayoff Mobile App Official mobile companion app of the College Football Playoff delivering live rankings, video/audio content, mobile ticketing, and push notifications to college football fans.
• CFP National Championship Trophy Physical championship trophy presented to the team that wins the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
• CFP National Championship Rings Championship rings presented to players and staff of the team that wins the College Football Playoff National Championship.
• CFP Selection Committee Rankings Weekly Selection Committee rankings released each season that evaluate FBS teams, seed the playoff bracket, and determine which 12 teams qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30.1 million viewers for 2026 National Championship (most-watched college football game in 11 years)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of Miami Coral Restoration LabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026During the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship weekend, CFP's Playoff Green partnered with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School's Coral Restoration Lab to conduct coral restoration work at the 100 Yards of Hope site in South Florida waters, which sustained significant damage during the 2023 coral bleaching event. Researchers conducted reconnaissance dives, re-surveyed the site, and led hands-on coral replanting expeditions.
• NFLminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026The NFL collaborated with the College Football Playoff and University of Miami's Coral Restoration Lab on the '100 Yards of Hope' coral restoration project during the 2026 CFP National Championship weekend. The initiative involved reef assessments, coral replanting, and coastal cleanup efforts, engaging volunteers and scientists to promote marine conservation and coastal resilience.
• Avocados From MexicominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Avocados From Mexico has extended its sponsorship partnership with the College Football Playoff for a third consecutive season as the Official Avocado Brand. The partnership includes the 'Always a Good Play' campaign targeting 182 million passionate college football fans, with a 'Snap and Snack' promotion offering $2 off four avocados and sweepstakes for tickets to the National Championship.
• Bowl Games (Fiesta, Cotton, Peach, Rose, Orange, Sugar)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe six bowl games serve as the venues for College Football Playoff quarterfinal and semifinal matchups: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential, Capital One Orange Bowl, and Allstate Sugar Bowl.
• Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollegiate Licensing Company (CLC) is the merchandise licensing agent of the College Football Playoff. When purchasing College Football Playoff merchandise, CLC ensures products are official by applying the 'Officially Licensed Collegiate Products' hologram.
• Catapult SportsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatapult Sports is the licensing agent for all College Football Playoff digital rights, including video and still photos. All questions about intellectual property should be directed to Catapult Sports.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CFBPlayoff
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZs6shNfgpoeOM6Tacawo-g
• Facebookfacebook.com/CollegeFootballPlayoff
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfbplayoff
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfbplayoff
• TikToktiktok.com/@cfbplayoff

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about College Football Playoff