24-Team College Football Playoff | California Sports Lawyer® Podcast

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans examines who could profit from expanding the College Football Playoff from 12 to 24 teams. NIL deals, revenue sharing, and player movement are changing college athletics and giving programs more ways to build competitive rosters. A larger playoff could create more opportunities to compete for a championship, along with additional revenue and compelling matchups.

Jeremy discusses ongoing media rights negotiations, the possibility of reducing the regular season to 11 games while retaining conference championships, and a proposed limit of one FCS opponent per FBS team. The episode considers how additional playoff revenue would be weighed against lost regular season revenue, athlete workload, travel, and guarantee payments to FCS programs. The discussion also explores private capital and institutional control, drawing on the Jeanie Buss–Lakers arrangement and Utah’s private equity deal.

The episode examines television and streaming distribution, including the Emmys’ move to Prime Video and DAZN’s local sports partnerships alongside traditional television. Exclusivity can bring more money, but pricing and access affect how many fans can watch. A 24-team playoff could be good for college football if it improves competition, preserves school control, makes financial sense, and remains easy to watch. The division of revenue among conferences, schools, and athletes matters as much as the size of the bracket.

(Season 8, Episode 40).

Listen as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print behind the biggest topics and most compelling legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports. The California Sports Lawyer® Podcast is currently ranked among FeedSpot’s top 10 entertainment law podcasts and sports law podcasts and is available on all major platforms.

Listen to the Episode.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the CEO and Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing companies, creators, and talent in dealmaking matters across entertainment, media, sports, and intellectual property. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav is a premier audio and video network that produces, distributes, and sells sports and lifestyle content. With more than 500 shows, Bleav reaches audiences across major podcast platforms, YouTube, social media, regional sports television networks, streaming video services, and FAST TV. The network helps hosts distribute and monetize their programs while connecting fans with a diverse range of sports and lifestyle content.