ESPN Agrees to Sublicense College Football Playoff Games to TNT

Patrick Andres | May 22, 2024

Jan 7, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; The 2024 College Football Playoff national championship logo on the field at NRG Stadium. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

After years away, a cable stalwart is getting back in the college football game.

ESPN has agreed to sublicense coverage of select College Football Playoff games to TNT for five years, the network announced in a surprise move Wednesday afternoon. College football has not aired on Turner networks since leaving TBS in 2006.

Per ESPN's release, the deal calls for TNT to air two first-round games in 2024 and 2025, followed by two first-round games to go with two quarterfinals in 2026, 2027 and 2028. ESPN will remain the home of the event's other games, including the national championship.

"ESPN is pleased to sublicense to TNT Sports a select number of early round games of the College Football Playoff, an event we’ve helped to grow—alongside the CFP—into one of the preeminent championships,” said ESPN executive vice president of programming and acquisitions Rosalyn Durant. “We’re confident in the reach and promotion that this new agreement will provide as we enter the new, expanded playoff era.”

The College Football Playoff, after 10 years as a four-team tournament, is expanding to 12 teams for the first time in '24.