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An expected move to a 24-team College Football Playoff, likely arriving by 2027, is reshaping the postseason conversation and putting the long-term role of traditional bowl games in question. The change promises major scheduling and business implications for conferences, broadcasters and the dozens of communities that host bowl events.
What the expansion changes
The playoff enlargement will create a larger postseason bracket and reduce the pool of teams available for standalone bowl matchups. Bowls have been part of college football since the Rose Bowl debuted in 1902, and the number of postseason games has steadily climbed to more than 40 in recent years.
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That growth came alongside other structural shifts: the College Football Playoff’s launch in 2014, the arrival of NIL rights and the transfer portal. Those factors have already altered how programs and players approach the season, and they help explain why executives are debating bowls’ future now.
Television demand remains strong
Despite concerns, non-CFP bowls posted solid television numbers last season. ESPN and ABC televised nearly all of those games, with three exceptions, and reported an average audience of about 3.1 million viewers per game — a 13% increase year over year from the 2024 season. High-profile non-CFP matchups performed especially well: the Cheez‑It Citrus Bowl drew roughly 9.1 million viewers, while the Pop‑Tarts Bowl registered about 8.7 million.
“Inventory is very valuable to them for programming in the 10‑day period between rounds of the Playoff,” said Nick Carparelli, executive director of Coca‑Cola Bowl Season. He added that recent audience trends — bowl viewership rose roughly 25% over two years — make that slot on the calendar attractive to broadcasters.
Conference affiliations and the numbers game
How many bowls survive will depend on which teams remain available after the expanded playoff field is set. Carparelli noted that more than 80 FBS teams participated in postseason play last year, and he expects demand for bowl berths to continue even with 24 playoff teams.
Affiliation lists show the ACC currently has the most potential tie‑ins among the Power 4 conferences — about 12 slots when alternates are included — followed by the Big 12 and SEC with eight each, and the Big Ten with seven. Industry calculations indicate that, using last season’s final rankings as a guide, 11 of the 12 additional playoff berths in a 24‑team format would have gone to Power 4 programs; the remaining extra spot would have been Notre Dame.
Within the Group of 6 — the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac‑12 and Sun Belt — conferences average roughly four firm bowl affiliations before alternate selections come into play. Sources say interest among those leagues to keep bowl opportunities alive remains high, though the exact allocation of slots will be an evolving negotiation.
Can bowls become early‑season events?
Some stakeholders have floated repositioning certain bowl games as neutral‑site kickoff contests during the regular season. But executives caution the shift would be complex. Early kickoff games count as regular‑season contests and influence national championship considerations, making it harder to assign opponents and locations.
“Those early season kickoff games are voluntary participation between the two institutions,” Carparelli explained, noting that the autonomy bowls currently enjoy could be reduced if games move into the regular season calendar.
Reasons bowls may persist
Beyond TV viewership, many in the sport value bowls for reasons that go beyond the scoreboard. Athletic departments, local organizers and sponsors see economic and community benefits. Coaches also appreciate the extra practice time and the chance to keep players engaged rather than letting them disperse during the transfer portal window, which this year opens on Jan. 4, 2027.
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby highlighted that practical upside: extra time with the team keeps players focused and provides continuity that can be difficult during extended offseason stretches. That sentiment, executives say, feeds ongoing interest among Power 4 programs to accept bowl invitations when they miss the playoff.
Bowl operators are preparing to renegotiate business models and scheduling with conference and broadcast partners. The Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl signaled plans to confer with the SEC, Big Ten and ESPN to evaluate future arrangements. As one Group of 6 bowl executive put it, predictions about the demise of bowls are premature; much will be decided in talks over the next cycles.
