"We try our best to respect the game and showcase and display it in a fashion that might be a little bit more appetizing for a different group of people that are watching alongside the best play commentators on Earth."
"One top sports executive telling Jon Ourand that the assuming is the merger could be a "bloodbath" with more sports rights than the newly merged company needs."
"For now, the man who once looked like the biggest risk ESPN ever took may actually be the network’s best example of how to maximize the relationship without walking away from the brand that helped build it."
"It’s the President of the United States requesting to come on a college football show that didn’t exist five and a half years ago. That’s why we did it."
"ESPN posted an 82% increase in viewership compared to December, a staggering jump that underscores how postseason college football continues to function as appointment television in a fragmented media environment."
"The multi-day presence culminates on Championship Monday, when ESPN deploys its most recognizable shows, personalities and reporters to provide comprehensive analysis, storytelling and real-time reaction from Miami."
"For all its flaws, the College Football Playoff got this part right. Until viewership tells a different story, there’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken."
"The four quarterfinal games will be played Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1, with ESPN serving as the home of the primary telecast for each matchup."
"We look forward to honoring the content that moved audiences in 2026 and continuing the Gracies’ long-standing investment in the people who will shape what comes next.”