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3 years ago

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7:48 PM ET

If the College Football Playoff is going to expand to 12 teams as early as the 2024 season, everyone involved in the existing 12-year contract must unanimously agree to changing the terms, and the CFP and the Rose Bowl are still negotiating the historic game’s role in the new model, a top Rose Bowl official told ESPN on Wednesday in an exclusive interview.

Laura Farber, the chair of the Rose Bowl Management Committee, said the game would like to maintain its exclusive broadcast window on January 1 at 2 p.m. PT in years that it would also host a CFP semifinal, but the Rose Bowl hasn’t heard back from the CFP in two weeks.

The discussion is centered around one of the most lucrative television windows in college sports, and while it’s not the only issue surrounding early expansion, it’s one of the most complicated. The Rose Bowl seems willing to temporarily concede its relationship with the Big Ten and Pac-12 to host a quarterfinal game in 2024 and 2025, but in return, it’s asking for assurances in the new contract. While the CFP is going to expand no later than the start of the 2026 season, there is no contract in place beyond the current 12-year deal, which runs through the 2025 season.

“The possibility of early entry to an expanded College Football Playoff is not something we’re against,” Farber said. “We continue to work with the CFP on this issue. We last spoke two weeks ago to the CFP, but have not heard back from the CFP.”

CFP executive director Bill Hancock told ESPN “nothing has changed” since they last spoke with Rose Bowl officials.

In the proposed 12-team format for 2024, the Cotton and Orange bowls would stay true to the current agreement and host semifinals, and in 2025, the Fiesta and Peach bowls would also host semifinals as currently planned, but the Rose Bowl would have to agree to relinquish its partnership with the Big Ten and Pac-12 in order to host quarterfinal games that might not feature teams from those leagues. When the new CFP deal begins in 2026, the playoff could have quarterfinal games played on New Year’s Day, which would compete against the Rose Bowl in the same time slot once every three years if that’s the rotation the CFP decides on.

A CFP source said, “We have not decided anything about 2026 and beyond. Should the Rose Bowl tell us where to play our games? Most of us think not.”

Sources within the CFP said the Rose Bowl is asking for guarantees that the other five major bowls (Sugar, Orange, Cotton, Fiesta and Peach) have agreed not to ask for. If the CFP were to acquiesce the exclusive January 1 window, it wouldn’t be able to maximize its revenue. Farber said the Rose Bowl recognizes “the importance of flexibility in our discussions with the CFP leadership.”

“We’re very supportive of the College Football Playoff,” she said. “As the only New Year’s Six bowl with an independent contract, we’re working to navigate our existing agreement. While we’re willing to work through certain areas, we’ve maintained that an exclusive broadcast window on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. PT is important to the Rose Bowl Game.”

According to multiple sources, there is a sense of frustration within the CFP that the Rose Bowl is trying to dictate when the sport’s championship plays its games. As the window to expand early continues to shrink, the Rose Bowl Game remains a major question at the heart of the debate, but the Rose Bowl insists it’s not the only reason for the delay.

“For anyone to say that the Rose Bowl Game is the sole reason right now that expansion may not happen before the current cycle runs out is categorically wrong,” Farber said. “Yes, we need to work through the details of our contract and our separate broadcast agreement, but we remain open to that. There are also issues not specific to our game that need to be resolved, including the NFL schedule, revenue sharing and on-campus schedules.”

The Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowls all have independent contracts with ESPN, and each has a separate agreement with CFP to televise the CFP semifinals once every three years.

“What we’re asking for is a three-hour window every three years,” Farber said. “If you think about that in the big picture, it’s not a big ask. Jan. 1 is an important part of the Tournament of Roses New Year’s celebration. We believe that fans will expect to see that and want to see that.

“You start out with the Rose Parade, and on the same day you have the Rose Bowl Game to celebrate the start of the New Year. It’s not only tradition, it’s part of the brand, and who we are, and what has been built since 1903.”

Farber said the Rose Bowl has historically found a way to “keep and integrate the Grandaddy of them All into a postseason model,” including the Alliance, the BCS and the CFP. The difference, though, was that it wasn’t competing against a quarterfinal game.

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff declined to comment for this story, but told ESPN this summer he said he plans to continue to stump for the Rose Bowl, even in the wake of the Big Ten poaching two of the Pac-12’s most valuable brands.

“Three hours every three years for the Rose Bowl,” Kliavkoff said. “We’re 100 percent committed. It’s important. It’s part of the history and tradition of college athletics. When we start throwing out traditions for money, that’s when we get ourselves in trouble. It’s not a big ask.”

Under the proposed 12-team model, the six highest-ranked conference champions and the next six highest-ranked teams would earn bids to the playoff, which means the Pac-12 and Big Ten champions would be unavailable to the Rose Bowl. It’s highly likely the second- and even third-best teams from those leagues would also be unavailable. Currently, No. 6 Oregon and No. 8 USC would join No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan. USC and UCLA are also poised to join the Big Ten in 2024. There’s a frustration amongst some in the CFP room that the Rose Bowl is pushing for what will ultimately be a watered-down game further devalued by the uncertain future of the Pac-12 without its flagship programs in L.A.

Still, Farber said the Rose Bowl would have ranked teams that would give fans a quality matchup.

“We still believe it would be a great game with a Big Ten team and a Pac-12 team that may not be the conference champion, but could still provide a wonderful game,” she said.

“There will be a 12-team CFP in 2026,” Hancock said. “We know that. The management committee is still considering whether we can expand in 2024 or 2025. Everyone is trying to work it out so we can start early, but there are still some details that have to be ironed out.”

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2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

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11 hours ago

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July 13, 2025

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2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

Jul 11, 2025, 08:19 PM ET

The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.

Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.

On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.

With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.

Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more

2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet

Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.

Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.

2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.

Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.

2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet

Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.

Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.

2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet

Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.

Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.

2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet

Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.

Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.

2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet

Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.

Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.

2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.

Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.

2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet

Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.

Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.

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Reds’ Fraley to play through partially torn labrum

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11 hours ago

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July 12, 2025

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Reds' Fraley to play through partially torn labrum

  • Associated Press

Jul 12, 2025, 02:28 PM ET

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.

He had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees.

An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery. Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.

The Reds were 7-4 in his absence.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who hasn’t played since Noelvi Marte returned from the IL on July 4, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville.

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Royals P Lorenzen (illness) scratched from start

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11 hours ago

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July 12, 2025

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Royals P Lorenzen (illness) scratched from start

  • Field Level Media

Jul 12, 2025, 02:39 PM ET

Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen was scratched from Saturday’s start due to an illness.

Left-hander Angel Zerpa replaced Lorenzen for the game against the visiting New York Mets.

Lorenzen, 33, is 5-8 with a 4.61 ERA through 18 starts this season.

Zerpa, 25, is 3-1 with a 3.89 ERA in 40 appearances out of the bullpen this season. His last start was in August 2023.

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