Lt. Gen. Richard Clark to Lead College Football Playoff Expansion

New Executive Director Faces Challenge of Securing Billion-Dollar TV Deals

Air Force Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark has been hired as the new executive director of the College Football Playoff (CFP), replacing the retiring Bill Hancock.
Clark, a former Air Force football player with a 38-year military career, will take the lead on several key issues as the CFP moves to an expanded format next year.
The largest task for Clark will be securing new TV packages when the CFP expands from four to 12 teams next season, a deal expected to be worth at least $1 billion in annual broadcasting rights fees.
Clark admitted he does not have any experience negotiating media rights deals, but Hancock will be staying on much of 2024 in an advisory role to help with the transition.
The CFP's current contract with ESPN expires after the 2025 playoff and so too will any postseason agreement between the FBS conferences, with multiple networks including ESPN, FOX, NBC, Amazon and Turner having made presentations to the FBS commissioners this fall.