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SPORTS Friday 8 december 2017

CFP

Continued from Page 18

But, Lewis said, “I still think
the numbers are going to
be well short of the first year
of the playoff.”
In 2015, the inaugural play-
off semifinals matching
Oregon-Florida State and
Ohio State-Alabama each
drew better than 28 million
viewers on ESPN, accord-
ing to the Nielsen compa-
ny. The Oregon-Ohio State
title game had 33.4 million.
Viewership the last two
years ranged from 15.5 mil-
lion to 19.8 million for the
New Year’s Eve semifinals,
and the Clemson-Alabama
title games drew 26.7 mil-
lion in 2016 and 26 million
in 2017. Los Angeles sports
radio host Petros Papada-
kis acknowledged the re-
gional flavor of the playoff
— “I hope Oklahoma can
at least strike a blow for the
people west of the Missis-
sippi,” he joked — but said
he didn’t think it would put
a damper on fans’ enthusi-
asm nationally. In this Jan. 9, 2017, file photo, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson runs for a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA college football
“Call me crazy, but I think playoff championship game against Alabama in Tampa, Fla.
we’ve reached a point in Associated Press
our society where football Big 12’s eastern outpost of playoff semifinal between gue there are more Geor- game, we’re very busy,”
fans put football on,” Pa- West Virginia) and there is Oklahoma and Georgia. gia and Oklahoma people Heideman said. “We’ll
padakis said. “If there is some overlap between the Papadakis said the Rose in this town than Oregon have more people than
live football and it’s a big SEC and ACC. Bowl obviously would have people who would come usual in here for the playoff,
game that’s on, people “It’s good to have the SEC more local interest if South- to the game.” but it won’t be like it was
are watching. ... I really do represented. I don’t know ern California or UCLA Brandon Heideman, who last year.”
feel like the College Foot- that it’s good to have two were participating, but the bartends at The Lodge Ali Jones, a bartender at
ball Playoff is transcendent SEC teams represented,” fact the game is a playoff Sports Grille in Seattle, said Bunkers Sports Bar and Grill
like the Super Bowl, where Lewis said. “And when makes it intriguing. there was standing-room in Dayton, Ohio, said she
people are just going to you talk about the confer- “The key for the Rose Bowl only at his establishment and her patrons are disap-
watch because it’s cham- ences, the Big 12, ACC and is that they’re big, blue- last year when the home- pointed Ohio State didn’t
pionship-level football.” SEC are very similar in terms blooded traditional col- town Washington Huskies make the final four. Still,
Still, Lewis said it can’t be of their makeup, in terms lege football programs,” were in the playoff. The ab- she expects a full house
overlooked that much of of their regions. You don’t he said. “As long as it’s a sence of a Pac-12 team in for the semifinals and the
the nation is left with no want it to be too regional.” big blue blood, people will this year’s playoff, let alone Jan. 8 final and that folks
rooting interest. He noted An interesting test will be come out to Los Angeles the Huskies, probably will probably will be pulling for
the Big Ten and Pac-12 the Rose Bowl, where the and the game will feel big. temper enthusiasm. Oklahoma, which beat
have larger geographic traditional Big Ten-Pac-12 There are so many trans- “As long as someone in the Buckeyes in the regular
footprints (never mind the matchup gives way to the plants in LA, and I would ar- the Pac-12 is playing in a season..q