On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams speak with Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff, about the upcoming semifinals, recent changes in college sports and the potential for an expansion of the postseason format.
The two semifinals will be played on Dec. 31, first with No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl, followed by No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georgia in the Orange Bowl. The national championship game will be Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.
Hancock, who’s been working in college sports for more than 40 years, discusses the many ways in which things have changed over that span, particularly on the business side. He discusses some of the more recent developments as well, including his thoughts on new NIL rights and conference realignment.
The trio also discusses the potential expansion of the playoffs. There were multiple meetings this year to discuss the possibility of eight- and 12-team formats, with no formal decision reached. Adding four more games would increase annual revenue by $450 million, an obvious motivation for expanding the playoff.
Lastly, Hancock discusses the omicron COVID variant, and how that’s affected the planning for the playoff later this month.
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