Only a few days before the 2024 FCS National Championship, the NCAA announced a new TV rights agreement with ESPN for 40 championships. The FCS is one of the championships in the package worth $115 million per year ($920 million total).
The FCS Playoffs will continue to be shown on ESPN and its various networks starting with the 2024 season through the 2031-32 season. The national championship game will be broadcast on ABC annually under the terms of the agreement. ESPN has shown the FCS National Championship on one of its networks each season since 1995.
In 2023, every FCS playoff game was shown on ESPN+. Except for Albany–Idaho, quarterfinal and semifinal games were broadcast on ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2. In addition, the second-round matchup between Southern Illinois and Idaho was broadcast on ESPN2.
The National Championship will be played in Frisco, Texas through the 2024-25 season with the NCAA having an option to extend the agreement for the 2025-26 season. Beyond 2025-26 is currently unclear but the NCAA does have a bid specification document for potential future hosts. Interestingly, the bidding document details a 2028 national championship with a kickoff at 1 PM local time on Sunday, indicating the game may continue to go up against the NFL. It’s important to note that all details within that document are subject to change.
The 2024 FCS National Championship will pit #2 Montana against #1 South Dakota State on Sunday, January 7. The Grizzlies are looking to capture their first title since 2001 while the Jackrabbits are aiming to win back-to-back championships.
Photo Credit to NCAA/NCAA Photos
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