Television viewership for the College Football Playoff on ESPN dropped from last season, dragged down by lopsided games and not being played on New Year’s Day. Last season, when the semifinals were played on New Year’s Day and Georgia and Oklahoma went to overtime in the Rose Bowl, the games averaged a 13.9 rating and 24 million viewers. ESPN drew record audiences of more than 28 million viewers and an average rating of about 15. This year’s semifinals topped only the second year of the playoffs, when the semifinals were held in the Cotton and Orange bowls on Dec. 31, 2015, a Thursday. Compared with that season, the first game of the semifinal doubleheader was up 5 per cent and the second game was up 4 per cent.

Source: National Post December 30, 2018 18:11 UTC