With the College Football Playoff expanding from four to 12 teams by 2026, it could command media rights deals with multiple TV partners yielding over $2 billion annually, sources told Front Office Sports.

The CFP’s current deal with ESPN reportedly pays an average of $470 million a year through 2026, but the expanded playoff could fetch as much as $2.2 billion annually — more than double the current payout.

Bob Thompson, the former president of Fox Sports Networks, said combined annual rights of $2 billion would be a “little light” given the addition of so many new postseason game telecasts.

“I think it will be north of $2 billion. So ($2.2 billion) is possible,” Thompson told Front Office Sports.

• The CFP would top the annual fees for the NCAA’s deal with CBS/Turner for the Division I men’s basketball tournament  — which paid $870 million this year. 
• It would also usurp the Big Ten’s latest mega-deal, which will average more than $1 billion annually. 

Network Bidding War

A major bump in rights fees may not be the only way the future contract looks different. 

Like the Big Ten Conference and the NHL the CFP is expected to pursue an NFL-like strategy of splitting rights among TV partners. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told “The Paul Finebaum Show” that the CFP plans to have multiple networks bid on the deal. 

ESPN wants to renew, sources previously told FOS, but Fox is also interested — as are CBS and NBC.

Speculation over a Manchester United sale is increasing — and the team may now have a price tag.

The Glazers, who purchased the Premier League club for $954.48 million in 2005, are reportedly looking for roughly $4.3 billion in exchange for the team, according to The Daily Mail. Outlets previously reported that the family — who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — could seek a record $5.9 billion for the team, which was valued at $4.6 billion by Forbes in May.

Despite not officially being on the market, reports of a sale have swirled as the Glazers face pressure from Man U fans.

• Under the family, Man U has paid around $1.1 billion in interest and debt repayments, while the family has received $406 million in share sales, consulting fees, and dividends.
• Fans have staged protests at games and outside Old Trafford.

It’s unclear if the Glazers would want to sell the entirety of the club. A loan and stake sale have reportedly been discussed as the Glazers seek at least $235 million for infrastructure improvements to the stadium. The Times previously reported that a sale of the team’s media rights are also likely.

Potential Buyers

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest man, and Michael Knighton have expressed interest in buying the club. The Daily Mail reported that Dubai’s sovereign wealth fund is rumored to be a contender.

A major name in luxury cars widely rumored to be seeking an on-ramp to Formula 1 will hit the public markets in the coming weeks.

Volkswagen announced plans to list Porsche in what could be one of Europe’s largest initial public offerings.

• The IPO could value Porsche between $59.4 billion and $84.2 billion.
• Volkswagen will only offer up 12.5% of Porsche, which could raise more than $10 billion, depending on pricing.
• The hefty cash injection will help fund Porsche’s turn toward electric and self-driving cars. The iconic brand races in the all-electric series Formula E under the name Tag Heuer Porsche.

The Qatar Investment Authority indicated plans to purchase 4.99% of the company, according to Volkswagen. The sovereign wealth fund of the 2022 World Cup host has also invested in Fanatics and ONE Championship parent Group ONE Holdings. 

Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, T Rowe Price Group, and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault have reportedly expressed interest in purchasing a stake in Porsche. 

Volkswagen has promised to return 49% of the proceeds from the IPO next year in a special dividend.

F1, Too?

The IPO is reportedly complicating plans for Porsche to join F1 in 2026 by purchasing half of Red Bull Advanced Technologies. 

While many expected an imminent public statement to that effect following fellow Volkswagen brand Audi’s announcement that it would enter F1 in 2026, recent reports suggest that Red Bull is keeping its options open.

A deal for investors to raise as much as $60 million for New Zealand Rugby is being delayed amid poor performances by the All Blacks rugby team. 

“All we can say at this point is that the timeline will be discussed by NZRC and NZR Boards over the coming months,” an NZR spokesperson told Bloomberg. 

In February, Silver Lake received approval from players of the legendary All Blacks to acquire a 5.7% stake in NZR CommercialCo via convertible preference shares, after previous reports revealed that the private equity firm offered $279 million to buy a 12.5% stake. 

The deal for a 12.5% stake was reportedly denied by New Zealand Rugby’s players union. 

• In June, Silver Lake agreed to invest $122 million in NZR CommercialCo.
• The investment values NZR at $3.5 billion.

Known as the best rugby team in the world with a 77% international win rate since 1903, the All Blacks have seen their brand value take a hit with six losses in their last nine matches. 

As a result, the national team has plummeted to fourth in the world rankings behind Ireland, France, and South Africa, respectively. The drop has led to a decline in demand for shares. 

Rugby Rising

As a sport with more than 500 million fans, rugby has become a hot commodity.

In June, Wasserman — one of the largest sports and entertainment agencies in the world — acquired Esportif, a rugby-focused talent agency.