College Football Playoff concerned about possible NFL playoff expansion

In it’s first edition, the College Football Playoff drew a record television crowd and now the CFP is worried about a conflict with possible NFL playoff expansion.

The inaugural College Football Playoff title game attracted a record television crowd as Ohio State rolled over the Oregon Ducks and Urban Meyer went on to win his third National Championship. It appears the first year of the College Football Playoff went off better than expected.

However, the CFP is now worried about the NFL taking away from their fans.

“We thought Monday night was open, and we thought it was a great night for us,” Bill Hancock, the Playoff’s executive director, told USA TODAY Sports. “I would just hate to see people have to make a decision. … We hope they won’t play Monday just because it’s not fair to the fans.”

Currently, the NFL Playoffs have 12 total teams competing in the playoffs, six in each conference. Games are played on Saturdays and Sundays and the Monday night slot for the College Football Playoff game worked perfectly for those still looking for more football. However, with NFL playoff expansion, games could be played on Mondays if team owners approved expansion. There would be six Wild Card Round games instead of four. The extra games could force competition between NFL and College Football games.

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The NFL shouldn’t expand their playoffs because more teams near 8-8 would make the playoff and dilute it. But that’s a conversation for another time. If the NFL does expand playoffs, they should have the six Wild Card games over two days. It would give a Thanksgiving Day feel to it with three games in one day. Likewise, then the networks would be pleased because there’s more of a chance that they would get tv rights.

ESPN aired one playoff game this year and an expanded playoff would please them. However, they wouldn’t be happy if an NFL game conflicted with the college football title game. Next year’s CFP title game is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2016. The CFP committee is rightfully concerned about competing with the NFL, but it appears when it comes to tv ratings that College Football is king. Yes, they would take a hit head-to-head against NFL. Yet, I think depending on the teams in the CFP more fans would tune in over an NFL playoff game.

For now, this is something to follow as the owners vote around the idea of an expanded playoff field. The CFP committee should be pleased about how the first edition went over and not worry about the NFL and CFP could face-off for tv traffic right now. In the end, the CFP will still bring in impressive tv rating no matter what it goes up against.