Someone told Bill Hancock that Star Wars hurt the CFP ratings

Apparently, someone on the CFP committee thinks Star Wars hurt its ratings.

In case you haven’t heard, the College Football Playoff ratings took a dive this year. Some attribute the low numbers to the fact that the games were scheduled for New Year’s Eve, while many others point to the wide margins of victory (Alabama won 38–0, Clemson won 37–17).

Apparently, someone on the CFP committee has another theory.

After reiterating that he had no plans to move the games out of the New Year’s Eve time slot next year, executive director Bill Hancock said that someone told him Star Wars might have hurt the ratings.

Really.

Bill Hancock: Someone suggested to me Star Wars was a factor (in TV ratings).

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 8, 2016

Best part of presser, though, was Bill Hancock saying it was suggested to him Star Wars hurt ratings. Seriously. Not NY Eve.

— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) January 8, 2016

Bill Hancock says someone suggested to him Star Wars was a factor in lower CFP semifinal ratings. Uh huh.

— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomon35) January 8, 2016

Who suggested that to him? George Lucas? Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released on Dec. 18. That’s 14 days prior to Jake Coker taking an ax to Michigan State’s secondary.

If the committee is still scared of Star Wars, maybe it should drop one of these before the National Championship Game:

- Kenny Ducey