The TV ratings for the College Football Playoff semifinal games declined from the previous 2020.
According to John Ourand, Alabama beating Cincinnati averaged 16.1 million on ESPN and Georgia dismantling Michigan averaged 16.5 million viewers. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Last year, the two semifinal games averaged 18.9 million and 19.1 million viewers. So, the games took a substantial hit.
CFP Semis
16.1 million for Bama-Cincinnati
16.5 million for Georgia-MichiganLast year
18.9 million for Bama-Notre Dame
19.1 million for Ohio St.-Clemson— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) January 4, 2022
This right here is why we shouldn’t be playing football games on a Friday. I don’t care whether it’s New Year’s Eve or not.
Why did we play the semifinals on a Friday when people are out and about? Did nobody look at the calendar and realize they could be played January 1, which was a Saturday?
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I can’t be the only person who thinks this way, right? Playing the games on Friday was beyond stupid, and the numbers reflect that fact.
Now, are the numbers solid compared to just about anything else on TV? Sure, but they’re not good enough for the CFP, and it’s that simple.
We need as many eyeballs as possible on the sport, and clearly, playing the games on a Friday isn’t smart at all.
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Hopefully, the people running the show see the declining viewership and adjust accordingly. If not, the sport will be in danger of losing popularity, and nobody wants to see that.