How Paciolan is Preparing Universities for College Football Playoff Expansion

Things are looking different this year for the 2025 College Football Playoff. The championship is expanding from four to twelve teams, bringing new challenges and opportunities to collegiate athletics. This isn't just about adding more games to the schedule—it's a fundamental shift in how college athletics approach these high-stakes events, especially hosting CFP games for the first time. Unlike in previous years, where all playoff games were played at bowl sites or neutral locations, some universities will now host games on their home field. The expanded playoff format introduces a new dynamic, bringing both excitement and complexity.

We're seeing universities rise to the occasion with remarkable agility," says Deana Barnes, President at Paciolan. "The national spotlight brings energy and excitement, and our teams are embracing these historic moments with creative solutions."

Planning Ahead: Ready for Every Outcome

Success in this new environment demands extensive preparation. Paciolan has been working closely with the College Football Playoff staff to ensure the universities can hit the ground running after Selection Sunday. This preparation involves:

• Creating detailed manifests for every possible matchup scenario

• Developing streamlined processes for managing tight turnaround times

• Establishing protocols for relocated segments of fans based on CFP requirements

• Coordinating with multiple stakeholders to ensure smooth operations

  
  

"We're not waiting for Selection Sunday to start planning," explains Liz Kelley, who oversees the Client Partner team at Paciolan. "We're mapping out every possible scenario now, so when the matchups are announced, our partnered schools can execute immediately."

Technology that Delivers: Solutions at Scale

Anticipating the operational challenges of the expanded playoff format, Paciolan introduced its new Bulk Transfer tool earlier this football season, offering self-service capabilities that transform ticketing operations for organizers and visiting groups. The impact is already evident through its ability to:

• Process transfers 25 times faster than traditional methods

• Complete the average transfer import of 125 tickets in just seconds

• Handle large volumes – already proven to process over 4,000 tickets in a single import this football season

• Successfully process hundreds of thousands of tickets across 1,000+ events.

  
  

This enhanced efficiency empowers athletic departments with both the speed and scale needed to confidently manage the unprecedented demands of playoff operations.

Beyond bulk transfers, the universities can track their event's pulse in near real-time with our Event Day Dashboard, monitoring everything from crowd flow to digital wallet download rates. 

Want smoother entry on game day? Work with the Paciolan Marketing Services team to set up automated reminders to encourage fans to download their tickets ahead of time.

Need a central spot for fans to find tickets, merch, and game day info? Together with SIDEARM, you can deliver a newly designed bowl central landing page to bring it together. 

Through early preparation and proven solutions, Paciolan is making sure universities are ready to make this historic playoff season a success.