In a move aimed to ensure better television viewership numbers, the College Football Playoff will only host future semifinals games on Saturdays and holidays.
"We had healthy discussions with a lot of people who love college football and we concluded that making these changes would be the right thing to do for our fans," playoff executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement Thursday.
George Schroeder of USA Today was first to report the move.
"We tried to do something special with New Year's Eve, even when it fell on a weekday. But after studying this to see if it worked, we think we can do better. These adjustments will allow more people to experience the games they enjoy so much. For these four years, our previous call is reversed."
In the first season of the playoff, the semifinals took place on Jan. 1 with the games hosted by the Rose and Sugar bowls _ both traditionally played on New Year's Day. Television ratings for the inaugural games generated a 15.5 and 15.3 rating respectfully.
Last season, the games rotated to the Orange and Cotton bowls but were instead played on Thursday, Dec. 31 _ New Year's Eve. Hancock and the Playoff group had hoped fans would embrace the idea with watching the semis as a new New Year's Eve tradition.
However, that wasn't the case as viewership for both games dropped 16 percent from the previous year.
Hancock told reporters during SEC Media Days a few weeks back that the Playoff suffered 'a bit of a sophomore slump' in regards to the New Year's Eve matter, but the group had the luxury of having time to make a decision to correct it. That decision came down on Thursday.
Thursday's announcement won't affect this year's games, which are to be played at the Fiesta and Peach bowls on Saturday, Dec. 31. The impact won't be felt until 2018-19, when the games will be moved up to play on Saturday, Dec. 29.
There will be at least one semifinals played on a weekday New Year's Eve _ Friday, Dec. 31, 2021 _ which Hancock pointed out is a federally observed New Year's holiday.
"Moving these game dates will be a positive both for the out of town and local fans attending the game, as well as for those viewing on television nationally," added Michael B. Chavies, president and chair of the Orange Bowl Committee.
Here are the dates of the future semifinals:
2016-17 Saturday, December 31 Fiesta and Peach 2017-18 Monday, January 1 Rose and Sugar
(ASTERISK)2018-19 Saturday, December 29 Cotton and Orange
(ASTERISK)2019-20 Saturday, December 28 Fiesta and Peach 2020-21 Friday, January 1 Rose and Sugar 2021-22 Friday, December 31 Orange and Bowl TBD
2022-23 Saturday, December 31 Bowls TBD
2023-24 Monday, January 1 Rose and Sugar
(ASTERISK)2024-25 Saturday, December 28 Orange and Bowl TBD
(ASTERISK)2025-26 Saturday, December 27 Bowls TBD
(ASTERISK)Asterick means date was changed
The semifinals will be played at the Orange, Rose and Sugar bowls through at least 2025-26 with the other semifinal sites set through 2021-22. After that, the playoff group will decide on those sites some time in 2018.
