The College Football Playoff has abandoned a plan to play its semifinals on most New Year's Eves after television ratings tumbled last year, moving the dates of future games to ensure they will be played either on a Saturday or a holiday. ''We had a healthy discussion 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,'' College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock said. The semifinals moved to New Year's Eve last season, which is when they were scheduled to be played eight times throughout the 12-year contract the CFP signed with ESPN.

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