The College Football Playoff has abandoned a plan to play most of its semifinals on New Years Eves after television ratings tumbled last year, moving the dates of future games to ensure they will be played either on a weekend or a holiday.The changes will start with the 2018 season. The TV ratings for last years semifinal games played on Thursday, Dec. 31, dropped 36 percent from the semifinals played the season before on New Years Day.This seasons semifinals are still set for Saturday, Dec. 31. Next seasons playoff is scheduled to be back on Jan. 1. In 2018, the games initially scheduled to be played on New Years Eve, will now be played Saturday, Dec. 29.The 2019 games will move to Saturday, Dec. 28.The other seasons affected by the change are 2024, when the semifinals will be moved to Saturday, Dec. 28, and 2025, when the games will be played on Saturday, Dec. 27.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 in a statement.In a phone interview with the AP, Hancock said after looking at data provided by ESPN that considered all the factors that contributed to the drop in ratings, such as the lopsided scores and participating teams, it was clear the single greatest factor was when the games were played.Hancock said several options for altering the schedule were discussed, including giving the College Football Playoff a permanent home on New Years Day, but that didnt get far.It was clear from the get go that our group wanted to honor the traditions of the game, including the Rose Bowl, including the Sugar Bowl getting back to New Years Day, which they really cherish, Hancock said. That one didnt stay on the table for long.Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, whose conference is partners with the Rose Bowl along with the Pac-12, said earlier this week the Rose Bowl would not be giving up its traditional New Years Day afternoon time slot. The Big 12 and Southeastern Conference now have a similar partnership with the Sugar Bowl and have locked up the time slot after the Rose Bowl.Hancock said it was important to keep the semifinals in what he called the holiday period between Christmas and New Years Day because it best allows fans to travel to the games.ESPNs Burke Magnus, executive vice president, programming and scheduling, said the network, which is paying about $470 million annually for the media rights to College Football Playoff, was pleased with the decision.They did engage in a really thoughtful analysis of what could make the CFP more fan friendly and ultimately they got to the right place, which were happy about, Magnus said.Magnus said ESPN was not directly involved in the decision nor did it exert any pressure on the CFP to change its schedule. He said there was also no pressure from advertisers.No, it never went anywhere near that kind of conversation, Magnus said in a phone interview. There was never any ultimatums issued.The first College Football Playoff set ratings records for ESPN on New Years Day 2015. The semifinal between Oregon and Florida State was played at the Rose Bowl and Alabama and Ohio State played at Sugar Bowl, with the Rose kicking off at about 5:20 p.m. ET.The semifinals moved to New Years Eve last season for the first of eight initially scheduled times throughout the 12-year contract the CFP has with ESPN.College football officials said they were going to start a new tradition on New Years Eve and that people would incorporate watching big games into their party plans. The initial returns showed that was not happening. Not only did the games have to compete with parties at night, but much of the country was still working when the Orange Bowl between Clemson and Oklahoma kicked off around 4:30 ET. That was 3:30 local time in Oklahoma.We tried to do something special with New Years Eve, even when it fell on a weekday, Hancock said. 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.---Online: http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/pr...leases---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP Cheap Hydro Flask Sale . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Discount Hydro Flask Cheap . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4. http://www.discounthydroflaskcheap.com/ . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Hydro Flask Sale . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Hydro Flask For Cheap . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazilians know the 7-1 loss to Germany at the World Cup will never be forgotten. That doesnt mean that defeating the rivals in the Olympic final wouldnt have a special sweetness.Two years after the humiliating home defeat, Brazil faces Germanys under-23 team on Saturday with a chance to win the soccer gold medal for the first time.Victory would give Brazil the only trophy it hasnt won in world football, but not revenge for 2014.That was the World Cup, this is the Olympic team, Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said. Neymar never played in that match, so there is nothing that could generate any type of feeling that we have to take revenge. It is a different time with different players and ages.Brazilian fans, however, have been looking forward to the rematch against the Germans, even if its in a tournament played mostly with youth squads and with less importance as the World Cup. As Brazil routed Honduras in the semifinals, the crowd at the Maracana chanted that Germanys turn is coming up.The supporters are playing their role and we will need the supporters as this is a very strong German team, Micale said. The supporters will want what they want, but there is no link between that match and this one.Germany coach Horst Hrubesch also distanced his team from what happened at the World Cup.What counts is this game, the Olympic final, he said. It is a different team and we are here to live our dream right to the end.Neymar was a member of Brazils squad in 2014 but didnt play against Germany after breaking a bone in his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia.The only Germany player who was in the World Cup is Matthias Ginter, but he was on the bench and never played in the infamous game at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte.Wee know that its going to be a different environment to be playing against Germany again, Brazil goalkeeper Weverton said.dddddddddddd But nobody here played in that final. What happened in the past is in the past, nothing is going to change that, even if we win by seven goals. We have a chance to create our own history, for our generation to do something different and earn this gold for Brazil.Playing at home and with Neymar, Brazil is taking the Olympic tournament more seriously than ever. It arrived at the Rio de Janeiro Games as the main title-favorite and with the obligation of winning the elusive gold. Neymar skipped the Copa America just to try to help Brazil win at the Olympics.Brazil finished with the silver medal three times and the bronze twice. Four years ago, it lost to Mexico in the final in London.This is the third straight Olympics in which Brazil has brought some of its best players looking for gold. Neymar also played in 2012, and in 2008 in Beijing it failed with a team led by Ronaldinho. Brazil also finished second in 1984 in Los Angeles and in 1988 in Seoul, the second time with a team that included Romario and Bebeto. Brazil won the bronze in 1996 in Atlanta with striker Ronaldo.Victory in Rio would help restore some of Brazils soccer pride after the World Cup defeat and this years elimination in the group stage of the Copa America. Brazils last title was at the 2013 Confederations Cup, when the final was also at the Maracana.Germany is playing in the Olympics for the first time since 1998, when Jurgen Klinsmann was on the team. It won the bronze at the time, when it competed as West Germany. ' ' '