The committee is responding to a drastic drop in television ratings for the 2015 season’s games, played on New Year’s Eve.
While the jury is still out on the College Football Playoff system – with some saying it works, others saying it’s not enough and still old-school fans not liking the change – everyone can agree on one thing from the 2015 season’s edition: the TV ratings for the semifinal games were disturbing.
Nearly 40 percent fewer people watched the Orange and Cotton Bowls this past season than did the Sugar and Rose Bowls for the 2014 season’s edition. The main reason in many eyes was the committee’s decision to play the games in 2015 on New Year’s Eve, a time when people usually aren’t sitting at home watching games.
The committee has made it clear it has no intention of moving this season’s game, also slated for December 31st, to a different date. However, they are making a slight adjustment they hope will help:
2016 Playoff Semifinals at the @CFAPeachBowl and @Fiesta_Bowl to begin at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET on @espn. Sequence to be determined on Dec. 4
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) March 7, 2016
Each game moves up one hour from it’s previously scheduled kickoff time. As a result, the Orange Bowl (which was scheduled to be played at 12 PM on New Year’s Eve) will now be played a day earlier, kicking off Friday, December 30th at 8PM.
The issue regarding the dates centers around the Rose and Sugar Bowls refusing to move off their New Year’s Day spots even during years they are not a semifinal site. Initially, the Sugar Bowl did say it would be flexible if needed, but backed down off that position ahead of this past season’s games.
The winners of the Fiesta and Peach Bowls this season will meet in Tampa, Florida for the third CFB Playoff Title Game, being played on January 9th.