document_title: Where the Action Is

question_text: who was the host of where the action is

question_tokens: who was the host of where the action is

text: Where the Action Is

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text:
Where the Action Is

Linda Scott and Steve Alaimo, regulars on the show, pictured in 1966.

Created by
Dick Clark

Country of origin
 United States

Production company(s)
Dick Clark Productions

Release

Original network
ABC

Original release
June 27, 1965 – March 31, 1967

text: Where the Action Is or (WTAI) was a music-based television variety show in the United States from 1965–67. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon. Created by Dick Clark as a spin-off of American Bandstand, Where the Action Is premiered on June 27, 1965. The show was another step in the then-current trend of entertainment programs that targeted the teenage audience by focusing on pop music, following in the footsteps set by Shindig! (premiered in the fall of 1964, also on ABC) and Hullabaloo (premiered January 1965 on NBC). Dick Clark's voice could be heard doing the artist introductions, but he was rarely seen on the show.

text: Originally intended as a summer replacement and broadcast at 2 P.M. EDT, the show was successful enough for it to continue throughout the 1965–66 TV season, with a change in time period to 4:30 P.M. Eastern time following the horror soap opera Dark Shadows. Both programs attracted a young audience who watch the shows after school. It was in black and white.

text: The show's theme song, "Action", became a hit single for Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, peaking on the charts (#13) in September 1965. Most of these black-and-white telecasts were taped at various locales in Southern California. A handful of segments were taped elsewhere around The United States. The theme song was written by Steve Venet and Tommy Boyce. Later, Boyce co-wrote songs for The Monkees.

text: The program had its own stable of performers, most notably Paul Revere & the Raiders, who served as the de facto house band. When the group departed the show in 1966, they were replaced by The Robbs and The Hard Times. Other regular performers on Action included the dance troupe Pete Manifee and the Action Kids. Individual episodes featured a wide range of guest performers, as detailed below. Tina Mason was a regular singer being promoted by Dick Clark on the show. She met and later married Phil Volk, the bass player for Paul Revere and the Raiders, whom she met on the "Action" set. They married on the second anniversary of the show's premiere, June 27, 1967.

text: Also appearing were Steve Alaimo, Keith Allison (a Paul McCartney look-alike who later became a member of Paul Revere and the Raiders), and Linda Scott. Ms. Scott had a few hit singles as a teenager in the early 1960s; she was only 20 when "Action" premiered. Typically, the show featured 2 or 3 performers lip-synching their recent hits with a bunch of teenagers clapping and swaying in the background, and a dance segment featuring the Action dancers. There would occasionally be an interview segment. A few episodes featured only one performer, such as Herman's Hermits or James Brown. The regular appearances of the Raiders helped to promote the band's lead singer, Mark Lindsay, as a teen idol. Lindsay's face and signature pony-tail haircut would grace the cover of many teen magazines of the mid- and late-60s.

text: The weekday program was cancelled on March 31, 1967, with the network giving its local affiliates the time slot. However, members of the program's mainstay band Paul Revere and the Raiders (with lead vocalist Mark Lindsay) hosted very similar follow-up shows; both Revere and Lindsay hosted Happening '68, a Saturday afternoon follow-up to American Bandstand, and a weekday version of the same show, It's Happening, from 1968 to 1969. Both shows were produced by Dick Clark's production company for ABC.

text: Regulars[edit]

text:
Dick Clark (Host. Except for a brief cameo at the beginning of the pilot and subsequently at the end of the final episode, otherwise he only appeared in off-camera voice-overs to introduce performers)
Paul Revere and The Raiders (1965–1966)
The Robbs (1966–1967)
Keith Allison
Steve Alaimo
Tina Mason
Linda Scott
Pete Menefee & The Action Kids
The Knickerbockers
The Hard Times
Don and the Goodtimes
Tommy Roe

text: Guest performers (partial list)[edit]

text:
Al Martino
Aretha Franklin
B.J. Thomas
Barbara Lewis
Barbara Mason
Barry McGuire
Ben E. King
Billy Joe Royal
Billy Preston
Billy Stewart
Blues Magoos
Bob Lind
Bobby Freeman
Bobby Fuller Four
Bobby Goldsboro
Bobby Hebb
Bobby Rydell
Bobby Vee
Brenda Holloway
Brenda Lee
Brian Hyland
Brook Benton
Buck Owens
Buffalo Springfield
Captain Beefheart
Chad & Jeremy
Charlie Rich
Cher
Chet Baker
Chris Montez
Danny Hutton
Davy Jones
Dee Jay & The Runaways
Dee Dee Sharp
Del Shannon
Diane Renay
Dick and Dee Dee
Dionne Warwick
Don Grady
Donovan
Doris Troy
Duane Eddy
Dusty Springfield
Eddie Hodges
Eddie Holman
Edwin Starr
Five Americans
Frankie Avalon
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Freddie & the Dreamers
Freddy Cannon
Gale Garnett
Gary Lewis & the Playboys
Gary U.S. Bonds
Gene Pitney
Glen Campbell
Gloria Jones
Herman's Hermits
Ike & Tina Turner
Jackie DeShannon

Jackie Lee
Jackie Wilson
James Brown & The Famous Flames
James Darren
Jan & Dean
Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmy Clanton
Jimmy Velvet
Jo Ann Campbell
Jody Miller
Joe Tex
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Tillotson
Jr. Walker & the All Stars
Ketty Lester
Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles
Laura Nyro
Len Barry
Lenny Welch
Lesley Gore
Lesley-Marie Colburn
Little Anthony & The Imperials
Little Richard
Lou Christie
Love
Major Lance
Marianne Faithfull
Martha and the Vandellas
Marvin Gaye
Mary Wells
Maxine Brown
Mickey Rooney, Jr.
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
Neil Sedaka
Nino Tempo and April Stevens
Otis Redding
Pamela Miller
Paul Petersen
Percy Sledge
Peter & Gordon
Petula Clark
Question Mark & the Mysterians
Ray Peterson
Ray Stevens
Ronnie Dove
Rosey Grier
Roy Clark
Roy Head
Roy Orbison
Sam and Dave
Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
Shadows of Knight
Shirley Ellis
Sir Douglas Quintet
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Sonny & Cher
Stevie Wonder
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Terry Knight and the Pack
The Animals
The Association
The Beau Brummels

The Byrds
The Castaways
The Classics (Classics IV)
The Crystals
The Cyrkle
The Detergents
The Dillards
The Dixie Cups
The Drifters
The Everly Brothers
The Fortunes
The Four Tops
The Grass Roots
The Happenings
The Hondells
The Impressions
The Kingsmen
The Kingston Trio
The Kinks
The Knickerbockers
The Left Banke
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Mamas & the Papas
The McCoys
Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders
The Mojo Men
The Moody Blues
The Music Machine
The Nashville Teens
The Newbeats
The Outsiders
The Palace Guard
The Righteous Brothers
The Rose Garden
The Shangri-Las
The Small Faces
The Spencer Davis Group
The Spinners
The Statler Brothers
The Strangeloves
The Sunrays
The Supremes
The Swingin' Medallions
The Temptations
The 13th Floor Elevators
The Tokens
The Toys
The Turtles
The Velvelettes
The Ventures
The Vibrations
The Vogues
The Who
The Yardbirds
The Zombies
Them
Tommy Sands
Toni Basil
Unit 4 + 2
Vic Dana
The Walker Brothers
We Five


document_title: College Football Playoff

question_text: when do they release the college football playoffs

root

text: College Football Playoff

text: Selection process[edit]

text: Selection committee[edit]

text: The first College Football Playoff selection committee was announced on October 16, 2013. The group consists of 13 members who generally serve three-year terms, although some initial selections served terms both shorter and longer than three years "to achieve a rotation" of members.[12][13]

tag: p

text: The current members of the selection committee are:[12][14]

text:
Member
Position
Conference affiliation[a]
Recusals[b]
Term expires

Hocutt, KirbyKirby Hocutt (chairman)[16]
Texas Tech athletic director; former Kansas State linebacker
Big 12
Texas Tech
February 2018

Howard, Christopher B.Christopher B. Howard
Robert Morris University President; former Air Force running back
N/A
None
February 2020

Bower, JeffJeff Bower
Former Southern Miss head coach
N/A
Southern Miss
February 2019

Deromedi, HerbHerb Deromedi
Former Central Michigan head coach
N/A
Central Michigan
February 2019

Jernstedt, TomTom Jernstedt
Former NCAA executive vice president; former Oregon quarterback
N/A
None
February 2018

Johnson, BobbyBobby Johnson
Former Vanderbilt head coach; former Clemson player
N/A
None
February 2018

Long, JeffJeff Long
Former Arkansas athletic director
SEC
Arkansas, Missouri[c]
February 2018

Mullens, RobRob Mullens
Oregon athletic director
Pac-12
Oregon
February 2019

Radakovich, DanDan Radakovich
Clemson athletic director, father of current Clemson player
ACC
Clemson
February 2018

Beamer, FrankFrank Beamer
Former Virginia Tech head coach
N/A
Georgia, Virginia Tech[d]
February 2020

Wieberg, SteveSteve Wieberg
Former USA Today reporter
N/A
None
February 2018

Willingham, TyroneTyrone Willingham
Former Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington head coach
N/A
Duke, Stanford[e]
February 2018

Smith, GeneGene Smith
Ohio State athletic director
Big Ten
Ohio State
February 2020

tag: table

text:
Jump up ^ Current or former, athletic department administration only.
Jump up ^ Any programs for which members are required to recuse themselves from voting or discussions.[15]
Jump up ^ In addition to Arkansas, Long is recused from Missouri because his daughter attends the school and works in its athletic department.[15]
Jump up ^ In addition to Virginia Tech, Beamer is recused from Georgia because his son Shane is the Bulldogs' tight ends coach and special teams coordinator.[15]
Jump up ^ Willingham is recused from Stanford because his son is currently on the Cardinal coaching staff, and from Duke because his daughter is employed at the school.[15]

tag: ol

text: The committee members include one current athletic director from each of the five "major" conferences—ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC—also known as the Power Five conferences.[17][18] Other members are former coaches, players, athletic directors, and administrators, plus a retired member of the media. The goal was for the panel to consist proportionally of current "Power Five" athletic directors, former coaches, and a third group of other voters,[17] excluding current conference commissioners, coaches, and media members.[19] During the selection process, organizers said they wanted the committee to be geographically balanced.[20] Conference commissioners submitted lists totaling more than 100 names from which to select the final committee members.[21][22]

text: Past members[edit]

text:
Member
Position
Conference affiliation[a]
Season(s)
Replaced by

Gould, Michael C.Michael C. Gould
Former Air Force Academy superintendent
N/A
2014–15
Jeff Bower

Osborne, TomTom Osborne
Former Nebraska coach and athletic director
Big Ten/Big 12
2014–15
Lloyd Carr

Tranghese, MikeMike Tranghese
Former Big East commissioner
The American
2014–15
Herb Deromedi

Haden, PatPat Haden[b]
USC athletic director; former USC quarterback
Pac-12
2014
Rob Mullens

Luck, OliverOliver Luck[c]
Former West Virginia athletic director
Big 12
2014
Kirby Hocutt

Manning, ArchieArchie Manning[d]
Former NFL and Ole Miss quarterback
N/A
-
Bobby Johnson

Carr, LloydLloyd Carr[e]
Former Michigan coach
Big Ten
-
Chris Howard

Rice, CondoleezzaCondoleezza Rice
Former Secretary of state
N/A
2014–16
Frank Beamer

Alvarez, BarryBarry Alvarez
Former Wisconsin coach and athletic director
Big Ten
2014–16
Gene Smith

text: The selection of Condoleezza Rice, a former U.S. Secretary of State and Stanford University provost, was met with some backlash within the sport and the media. Critics questioned her qualifications, citing gender and lack of football experience.[28][29]

text:
Jump up ^ Current or former, athletic department administration only.
Jump up ^ Stepped down October 30, 2015, citing health reasons and instability at USC. Did not participate in 2015 season committee.[23]
Jump up ^ Left the committee in 2015, before his term expired, after resigning as West Virginia athletic director to work for the NCAA as executive vice president of regulatory affairs.[24]
Jump up ^ Took a leave of absence for health reasons in October 2014 and stepped down in March 2015. Never participated in any committee voting.[25][26]
Jump up ^ Left the committee in 2016 before the season started for health reasons. Committee stayed at 12 members rather than replacing him.[27]

text: Voting procedure[edit]

text: The committee releases its top 25 rankings weekly on Tuesdays in the second half of the regular season. The top four teams are seeded in that order for the playoff.[30] During the season, the committee meets and releases rankings six or seven times, depending on the length of the season (the number of games is consistent, but the number of weeks those games are played over can vary from year to year).[25] The group, which meets at the Gaylord Texan hotel in Grapevine, Texas,[31] reportedly meets in person up to 10 total times a year.[22]

text: A team's strength of schedule is one of the most pertinent considerations for the committee in making its selections.[32] Other factors that the committee weighs are conference championships, team records, and head-to-head results,[10] plus other points such as injuries and weather.[33] Unlike the BCS system, the AP Poll, Coaches' Poll, and the Harris Poll, computer rankings are not used to make the selections.[5][17] Advanced statistics and metrics are expected to be submitted to the committee, though like other analytics, they have no formal role in the decision.[34] Committee members are not required to attend games.[31]

text: Long said the panel considered less frequent rankings, but ultimately decided on a weekly release. "That's what the fans have become accustomed to, and we felt it would leave a void in college football without a ranking for several weeks," he said. Long also noted: "Early on there was some talk that we would go into a room at the end of the season and come out with a top four, but that didn't last long."[35] In analyzing this change in thinking, Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated commented: "The whole point of the selection committee was to replace the simplistic horse-race nature of Top 25 polls – where teams only move up if someone above them loses – with a more deliberative evaluation method. Now the playoff folks are going to try to do both."[36] Addressing the "pecking order" nature of traditional polls, George Schrodeder of USA Today wrote that "if it actually works as intended, we could see volatile swings" from week to week, with lower-ranked teams moving ahead of higher-ranked teams without either team losing (a rarity in traditional polls). Both Long and Bill Hancock, the CFP executive director, say they expect that to happen.[37]

text: The committee's voting method uses multiple ballots, similar to the NCAA basketball tournament selection process and the entire process is facilitated through custom software developed by Code Authority in Frisco, Texas.[38] From a large initial pool of teams, the group takes numerous votes on successive tiers of teams, considering six at a time and coming to a consensus on how they should be ranked, then repeating the process with the next tier of teams. Discussion and debate happens at each voting step. All votes are by secret ballot, and committee members do not make their ballots public.[35] Each week's ranking process begins anew, with no weight given to the previous week's selections.[37] In this fashion, the committee selects the four teams to compete for the national championship.

text: Committee members who are currently employed or financially compensated by a school, or have family members who have a current financial relationship (which includes football players), are not allowed to vote for that school. During deliberations about a team's selection, members with such a conflict of interest cannot be present, but can answer factual questions about the institution.[35] All committee members have past ties to certain NCAA institutions,[31] but the committee decided to ignore those ties in the recusal requirements. "We just boiled it down to where we felt this group was fit to its high integrity and would differentiate from those past relationships," Long said.[35] Some football writers, like Dennis Dodd and Mark Schlabach, have said the recusal arrangement isn't transparent or objective, suggesting that members' alma maters and former coaching jobs should be considered disqualifying conflicts of interest.[39][40]

text: Impact on scheduling[edit]

text:
"Strength of schedule will become such an important factor ... that if you want to be under consideration, you need to have a more meaningful schedule than perhaps you've had in previous years."

—Tom Jernstedt, selection committee member[41]

tag: div

text: Due to the increased emphasis on strength of schedule, teams have considered playing more challenging opponents during the non-conference portion of their schedules. Some teams have traditionally played three or four "weak" non-conference opponents, but wins against such low-level competition are unlikely to impress the committee. For teams on the cusp of making the playoff four, "I think one of the first things the committee will look at is strength of schedule," said selector Oliver Luck.[42]

text: Teams in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 play nine conference games on their twelve-game schedules and thus only have flexibility in choosing their opponents for the three non-league games. Some programs are opting to increase their schedule strength by scheduling high-profile matchups at neutral sites and on weeknights, garnering primetime TV exclusivity.[43][44]

text: In response to the new playoff system, the Southeastern Conference considered increasing its conference schedule from eight to nine games, with Alabama coach Nick Saban a vocal proponent.[45] According to Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News, "The prevailing opinion among SEC athletics directors: The SEC is difficult enough that there's no need for a ninth game."[46] Some in the conference, like Mississippi State athletic director Scott Stricklin, opined that a nine-game SEC schedule would result in more teams with two losses. Commissioner Michael Slive and Vanderbilt AD David Williams, among others, supported a stronger out-of-league schedule, which would likely impress the committee.[46][47] In April 2014, the league voted to mandate that all SEC teams must play a Power Five foe (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, or independent Notre Dame) in its non-conference slate beginning in 2016. Slive noted this rule "gives us the added strength-of-schedule we were seeking".[45] In 2014, the first year of the College Football Playoff, one team played two opponents from the Power Five, nine of the 14 teams played one Power Five conference opponent and three lower-level opponents (including one FCS school), and four teams did not face a Power Five foe.[43] In the spring of 2015, the SEC decided to count games played against Independents BYU and Army toward its Power Five requirement.

text: The ACC, whose teams also play eight conference games (plus Notre Dame at least once every three years), also considered moving to a nine-game conference schedule. However, the league opted to stay with the eight-plus-Notre Dame model, stipulating instead that teams would have to play one Power Five school in their non-league slates beginning in 2017, which would include the Notre Dame game or other ACC schools,[48] as will games against another FBS independent, BYU.[49] Despite the push to increase schedule strength, some ACC coaches preferred the scheduling flexibility available with fewer permanent fixtures on a team's slate.[50] Opinion was split among league athletic directors on moving to a nine-game schedule prior to the vote.[51] An SEC expansion to a nine-game schedule would limit the ACC's opportunities to play Power Five non-conference opponents.[52]

text: Semifinals[edit]

text: The College Football Playoff uses a four-team knockout bracket to determine the national champion. Six of the most historic bowl games—the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Peach Bowl– rotate as hosts for the semifinals.[53] The rotation is set on a three-year cycle with the following pairings: Rose/Sugar, Orange/Cotton, and Fiesta/Peach. The two semifinal bowls and the other four top-tier bowls are marketed as the "New Year's Six".[54] Three of these bowls played per day, typically on consecutive days that include New Year's Day.[2] The selection committee seeds and pairs the top four teams, and additionally assigns teams to the at-large bowls (Cotton, Fiesta, and Peach) in years when they do not host semifinals.[55]

text: The four-team format pits the No. 1-ranked team against No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3. The selection committee seeds the two semifinal games, placing the top-seeded team at the closest site to prevent it from playing in a "road" environment. There are no limits on the number of teams per conference, a change from previous BCS rules.[2] However, some non-semifinal bowl selections still maintain their conference tie-ins, similarly to the BCS's automatic qualifier berths.[56] A team from one of the "Group of Five" conferences is guaranteed a spot in one of the New Year's Six bowls.[57]

text:
Season
Semifinal
Winner
Loser
Score
Venue

2014–15
Rose Bowl
2 Oregon
3 Florida State
59–20
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California

Sugar Bowl
4 Ohio State
1 Alabama
42–35
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

2015–16
Orange Bowl
1 Clemson
4 Oklahoma
37–17
Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Cotton Bowl
2 Alabama
3 Michigan State
38–0
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

2016–17
Fiesta Bowl
2 Clemson
3 Ohio State
31–0
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Peach Bowl
1 Alabama
4 Washington
24–7
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

2017–18
Rose Bowl
3 Georgia
2 Oklahoma
54–48 (2OT)
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California

Sugar Bowl
4 Alabama
1 Clemson
24–6
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

2018–19
Orange Bowl

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Cotton Bowl

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

2019–20
Fiesta Bowl

University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Peach Bowl

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

text: Championship game[edit]

text: Cities around the country bid to host each year's championship game. The playoff group's leaders make a selection from those proposals, in a similar fashion to other large sporting events, such as the Super Bowl or NCAA Final Four. Officials say the championship game will be held in a different city each year, and that bids must propose host stadiums with a capacity of at least 65,000 spectators.[58] Under the system, cities cannot host both a semifinal game and the title game in the same year.

text:
Season
Champion
Runner-up
Score
Venue

2014–15
4 Ohio State
2 Oregon
42–20
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

2015–16
2 Alabama
1 Clemson
45–40
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

2016–17
2 Clemson
1 Alabama
35–31
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

2017–18
4 Alabama
3 Georgia
26-23 (OT)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

2018–19

Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

2019–20

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

2020–21

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

2021–22

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

2022–23

Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, California

2023–24

NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

text: Appearances[edit]

text: College Football Playoff appearances by team[edit]

text:
Appearances
Team
W
L
Pct
Games

4
Alabama
5
2
.714
Lost 2015 Sugar Bowl

Won 2015 Cotton Bowl (Dec. 2015)
Won 2016 CFP National Championship

Won 2016 Peach Bowl
Lost 2017 CFP National Championship

Won 2018 Sugar Bowl
Won 2018 CFP National Championship

3
Clemson
3
2
.600
Won 2015 Orange Bowl
Lost 2016 CFP National Championship

Won 2016 Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 2016)
Won 2017 CFP National Championship

Lost 2018 Sugar Bowl

2
Ohio State
2
1
.667
Won 2015 Sugar Bowl
Won 2015 CFP National Championship

Lost 2016 Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 2016)

2
Oklahoma
0
2
.000
Lost 2015 Orange Bowl

Lost 2018 Rose Bowl

1
Georgia
1
1
.500
Won 2018 Rose Bowl
Lost 2018 CFP National Championship

1
Oregon
1
1
.500
Won 2015 Rose Bowl
Lost 2015 CFP National Championship

1
Florida State
0
1
.000
Lost 2015 Rose Bowl

1
Michigan State
0
1
.000
Lost 2015 Cotton Bowl (Dec. 2015)

1
Washington
0
1
.000
Lost 2016 Peach Bowl

text: College Football Playoff appearances by conference[edit]

text:
Conference
Appearances
W
L
Pct
Championships
# of teams
Teams(s)

SEC
5
6
3
.667
2
2
Alabama (4)
Georgia (1)

ACC
4
3
3
.500
1
2
Clemson (3)
Florida State (1)

Big Ten
3
2
2
.500
1
2
Ohio State (2)
Michigan State (1)

Pac-12
2
1
2
.333
0
2
Oregon (1)
Washington (1)

Big 12
2
0
2
.000
0
1
Oklahoma (2)

text: Broadcasting[edit]

text: The television broadcast rights to all six CFP bowls and the National Championship are owned by ESPN through at least the 2025 season.[59] ESPN then reached 12-year agreements to retain rights to the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Sugar Bowl following the dissolution of the Bowl Championship Series.[60] In November, ESPN reached a 12-year deal to broadcast the remaining three bowls, the championship game, as well as shoulder programming such as ranking shows; as a whole, the contract is valued at around $470 million per year, or nearly $5.7 billion for the life of the contract.[61]

text: Ratings[edit]

text: The inaugural College Football Playoff games in January 2015 generated larger ratings than previous BCS games. The 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship had an 18.9 Nielsen rating[62] and was watched by approximately 33.4 million people, the largest broadcast audience of all time on American cable television (non-broadcast), according to AdWeek. That was a 31 percent audience increase over the previous year's championship game and a 22 percent increase over the BCS title game's best rating on cable (a 16.1 rating in 2011).[63] The semifinal games, the 2015 Rose Bowl and 2015 Sugar Bowl, saw 28.16 million and 28.27 million viewers, respectively.[64] According to ESPN, these games also set (and briefly held) all-time records for cable TV viewership.[65][66]

text: In 2015, the ratings for the two semifinal games were down from the prior season's equivalents, with the Orange Bowl reaching a 9.7 rating (in comparison to 15.5 for the 2015 Rose Bowl) and the Cotton Bowl reaching a 9.9 rating (in comparison to a 15.3 rating for the 2015 Sugar Bowl). On the online WatchESPN streaming service, excluding 2014 FIFA World Cup games, the Cotton Bowl and the Orange Bowl drew the second and third-largest streaming audiences in the service's history, behind the 2015 national championship. The ratings drops were attributed to the New Year's Eve time slot, as fewer people were at home to watch the game.[67] The decline in ratings was a factor in changes for the scheduling of future CFP semi-final games.[9]

text: Revenue[edit]

text: In 2012, ESPN reportedly paid about $7.3 billion over 12 years for broadcasting rights to all seven games, an average of about $608 million per year. That includes $215 million per year which was already committed to the Rose, Sugar and Orange bowls,[68] plus $470–475 million annually for the rest of the package.[69] By comparison, the most recent contract with the BCS and the Rose Bowl had paid approximately $155 million per year for five games.[70]

text: The average revenue to the new system over 12 years is to be about $500 million per year. After $125–150 million in expenses, the Power Five conferences split about 71.5 percent of the remaining money, for an approximate average payout of $250 million a year ($50 million per league) over the life of the contract. The "Group of Five" conferences split 27 percent, about $90 million a year ($18 million per league). Notre Dame receives around one percent, about $3.5-4 million, and other FBS independents get about 0.5 percent of the deal.[71][72]

text: Extra revenue goes to conferences in contracts with the Rose, Sugar, and Orange bowls, which split revenue 50/50 between their participating leagues.[71] In non-semifinal years, the Rose Bowl's TV revenue would be divided between the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences; likewise, the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl revenue to its participant conferences. When those bowls are semifinal games, the money is distributed by the playoff system to all FBS conferences.[68] ESPN has paid about $80 million a year each for the Rose and Sugar bowls over 12 years. The Orange Bowl deal is worth $55 million per year.[73] For example, in a non-semifinal year, the Big Ten could receive about $90 million (half of its $80 million Rose Bowl deal plus about $50 million from the playoff system).[71]

text: Conferences receive an additional $6 million each year for each team it places in the semifinals and $4 million for a team in one of the three at-large bowls; Notre Dame receives the same amount in either scenario. No additional money is awarded for reaching the championship game.[71]

text: The Power Five conferences and the "Group of Five" have not decided on their respective revenue-sharing formulas, though the SEC initially receives more revenue than the other four Power Five conferences due to its BCS success.[71][72] Reports say the money is to be divided based on several criteria such as "on-field success, teams' expenses, marketplace factors and academic performance of student-athletes."[74] The playoff system awards academic performance bonuses of $300,000 per school for meeting the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate standard of 930.[71] In a hypothetical 14-team conference, $4.2 million ($300,000 x 14) would be allocated to that league, and if only 12 of the 14 members meet the APR standard, then each of the 12 schools would receive $350,000 ($4.2 million / 12),[72] penalizing schools that fall below the threshold.[75]

text: Leadership[edit]

text: BCS Properties, LLC holds all properties related to the College Football Playoff.[76] Previous BCS commissioner Bill Hancock is the executive director of the playoff organization,[77] with former ACC Senior Associate Commissioner Michael Kelly as COO.[78] Like the BCS, the playoff system's management committee[79] consists of the conference commissioners from the 10 FBS conferences[80] and Notre Dame's athletic director.[21] The playoff system's headquarters is in Irving, Texas.[77]

text: Board of Managers[edit]

text: According to the CFP website, the system's operations are controlled by the Board of Managers, which consists of presidents and chancellors of the playoff group's member universities. The eleven members have sole authority to develop, review and approve annual budgets, policies and operating guidelines. The group also selects the company's officers.[81]

text:
Rodney Bennett – President, Southern Mississippi (C-USA)
Anthony Frank – President, Colorado State (Mountain West)
Burns Hargis – President, Oklahoma State (Big 12)
Jack Hawkins – Chancellor, Troy (Sun Belt)
Rev. John I. Jenkins – President, Notre Dame (Independent)
Mark Keenum – President, Mississippi State (SEC)
Roderick McDavis – President, Ohio (MAC)
Max Nikias – President, USC (Pac-12)
Harvey Perlman (chair) – Chancellor, Nebraska (Big Ten)
Donna Shalala – President, Miami (Fla.) (ACC)
Steadman Upham – President, Tulsa (The American)

tag: ul

text: Athletics Directors Advisory Group[edit]

text: According to the CFP website, the Athletics Directors Advisory Group is appointed by the management committee to "offer counsel" on the operations of the system. As an advisory board, it has no authority in the management of the CFP.[81]

text:
Gary Barta, Iowa (Big Ten)
Tom Bowen, Memphis (The American)
Tom Burman, Wyoming (Mountain West)
Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma (Big 12)
Jeremy Foley, Florida (SEC)
Dan Guerrero, UCLA (Pac-12)
Chris Massaro, Middle Tennessee State (C-USA)
Terry Mohajir, Arkansas State (Sun Belt)
Mike O'Brien, Toledo (MAC)
Stan Wilcox, Florida State (ACC)

text: Criticism[edit]

text: Although being generally well received,[7] the College Football Playoff has been criticized much like its predecessor, the Bowl Championship Series, which had several controversies.[82]

text: Team selection[edit]

text: Chief among the criticisms was the subjective element of the selection process such as basing rankings on metrics such as strength of schedule and conference as opposed to solely basing rankings on a team's win-loss record.[83][84]

text: One particular similarity between the old BCS[85] and the current Playoff system is both have been alleged to be biased toward schools, programs and conferences with large financial endowments[86] (being the perceived favoritism with the SEC the most outstanding argument),[87][88] hurting the chances of smaller schools with fewer athletic resources.[89] Undefeated teams from less wealthy conferences can be passed over for teams with losses from richer conferences.[90]

text: Because the tournament has four teams, at least one Power Five champion misses the playoffs every season. However, not all teams selected have been conference winners. In the 2016–17 season, one of the teams selected was Ohio State, who did not qualify to the Big Ten Championship Game. As a result, both the Big Ten and Big 12 champions were not selected for the playoffs. In the 2017–18 season, two of the four selected teams were from the SEC: conference champions Georgia, winners of the SEC Championship Game, and Alabama, who lost to SEC Championship Game finalist Auburn. Analysts have discussed whether the committee should selected conference champions only.[91][92]

text: Another critique centered around a perceived bias against smaller conferences such as the Big 12 which used to not stage a conference championship game, but was reintroduced for the 2017 season. The American addressed this issue by adding Navy to its ranks for 2015, bringing its membership to 12 teams, which allowed it to stage a conference championship game under then-current NCAA rules.[93] Starting with the 2016 season, FBS conferences will be allowed to stage football championship games even if they do not have 12 members.[94]

text: There are opinions labeling the CFP system "just as" or "even more polarizing" than the BCS or the old wire-service poll system.[95][96][97][98]

text: Selection committee[edit]

text: The qualifications of selection committee members has also been scrutinized. As an outsider to the sports world, Condoleezza Rice was the focus of some criticism. Former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden opined that the committee's members should be "people who played the game and preferably coached the game".[99] Former Auburn head coach Pat Dye said that "All she knows about football is what somebody told her ... or what she read in a book, or what she saw on television. To understand football, you've got to play with your hand in the dirt". Former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese also gained membership on the selection committee despite having never played football in college.[100] Former sportswriter Steve Weiberg and retired U.S. Air Force General Michael Gould are other committee members without significant football playing, coaching or administrative experience.

text: Scheduling[edit]

text: The semifinal games for the 2015 season were scheduled for December 31; they were expected to have lower television viewership because the date is not a federal holiday, and because the second game faced heavy competition for television viewers in primetime from New Year's Eve specials (such as New Year's Rockin' Eve, which is aired by ESPN's sister broadcast network ABC). Under television contracts with ESPN that predate the College Football Playoff, both the Rose and Sugar Bowl games are guaranteed exclusive TV time slots on January 1 (or January 2 if New Year's Day falls on a Sunday), regardless of whether they are hosting a semifinal game.[101] In an interview with CBS Sports, CFP commissioner Bill Hancock suggested this scheduling issue would "change the paradigm of what New Year's Eve is all about," opining that "if you're hosting a New Year's Eve party, you better have a bunch of televisions around."[102] Although ESPN proposed moving the Thursday, December 31, 2015 semifinal games to Saturday, January 2, 2016, the idea was rejected.[103] The semifinal games' ratings were ultimately down significantly from those of the previous season.[67]

text: In an effort to reduce the impact of their New Year's Eve scheduling, the 2016 semifinal games, which fell on a Saturday, had earlier kickoff times, at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET respectively. The 2016 Orange Bowl was played in primetime on December 30, 2016, rather than in an early afternoon window on New Year's Eve. Hancock considered the earlier start times to be a compromise to reduce the games' intrusion into New Year's Eve festivities, but reiterated that there were no plans to move the semi-final games from New Year's Eve outside of years where they are hosted by the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.[104][105]

text: On July 28, 2016, however, Hancock reversed this stance and announced revisions to the scheduling for future College Football Playoff semi-final games. The games were rescheduled so that they will not necessarily be played on New Year's Eve yearly: outside of years when they are hosted by the Rose and Sugar Bowls (where they retain their traditional New Year's Day scheduling), they will now be scheduled primarily on the last Saturday or federally observed holiday of the year. In some years, this date will land on New Year's Eve. In 2021, the games will be played on Friday, December 31, because the day will be observed as a holiday.[9][106]