TNT Sports is set to receive more College Football Playoff inventory as part of its sublicensing agreement with ESPN, according to a report from Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports on Friday.
Per the report, ESPN will sublicense one College Football Playoff Semifinal game to TNT in each of the 2026, 2027, and 2028 seasons.
In a somewhat stunning move, ESPN is finalizing an agreement to extend its sublicense package with TNT Sports to include the CFP semifinal round, sources tell @YahooSports.
The deal would grant TNT Sports broadcasting rights to one CFP semifinal annually in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 6, 2025
Additional context: The sublicense of the semifinal was built into ESPN’s original sublicensing package with TNT Sports to offer the network flexibility. The network is now exercising that option.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 6, 2025
In May 2024, it was announced that ESPN would sublicense 16 College Football Playoff (CFP) games to TNT Sports in a five-year agreement, beginning with two first-round College Football Playoff games during both the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Then beginning with the 2026 season and extending through the 2028 season, TNT will televise two quarterfinal-round games each season in addition to two first-round games.
ESPN produced the two quarterfinal round games last season and will continue to produce each game that is televised by TNT Sports.
TNT has also forayed into the college football regular-season as well. Last week, the Big 12 Conference revealed that TNT will televise Hawaii at Arizona on Saturday, Aug. 30 (10:30pm ET), Kent State at Texas Tech on Saturday, Sept. 6 (noon ET), and Texas State at Arizona State on Saturday, Sept. 13 (10:30pm ET).
I am very confident that Oklahoma State Cowboys will make an appearance on TNT sometime during 2025 regular season.
At least Arizona State Sun Devils will be on TNT week 3 & play host Texas State Bobcats.
So ESPN paid how much for the “entire” playoff to keep games away from Fox?
But they actually couldn’t afford it, so they are selling some of the games to Turner/Warner Bros?
I’m sure someone from the corporate business world can explain this strategy.
I am a Fan of TNT sublicensing agreement with ESPN for CFB playoff also I am enthusiastic about TNT showing Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Houston, Colorado & Iowa State Big 12 Football games that they are going to televise.
That may all be entirely true but Turner/WBD/TNT is also desperate for live games/sports inventory and is willing to overpay for CFP games thanks to their loss of the NBA media rights.
God Bless You Reverend I fully agree with you Warner Brothers/Discovery have a huge void to fill with College Football Playoff now that NBA ended its 36 year relationship with WBD.
Seems like everyone involved wins:
1. The WWL keeps the CFP off Fox.
2. Turner gets high-impact live sports, which they desperately want/need.
So this strategy seems perfectly fine to me.
Keep up excellences on your comments Richard.
Thumbs Up!!!
I like what TNT is doing. They want sports. They’re doing a great job with the French Open
Get some college football
Get some college basketball
Get some FCS football
John I really would like to see FCS Football increase more airtime on television
As always fantastic post!!!
I’ve been watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs on TNT & TBS. The videos have jerky hesitation moments often. Not sure if it is my provider – I use Youtube TV and local Internet service.
I’ve noticed this with YouTube TV on my laptop and new phone (but not my old phone).
eSECpn trying to offload the acc/big12/g5 games and avoid the talk about bias to SEC teams getting in the garbaggio playoff. how does nbc/fox/cbs not get any games in the Stankey/Petooti Invitational Playoff? #WhosIn? Tune in on Tuesday nights in November while we drag a 5 minute clip into an hour long show before Toledo plays
CBS, FOX & NBC are not fans of pre-empting regularly scheduled programs there excellent with Big Ten Saturday.