College Football Playoff COO Michael Kelly said that the CFP "will send out bids in late January or early February to cities interested in hosting the national championship game" in '18, '19 and '20. Kelly said that interested cities "likely will have until the end of May to submit their responses, but there is no firm deadline yet." The playoff has a site committee, but the management committee "will be involved in selecting the sites." Also, the 12-member selection committee "will have a teleconference in January to review the season" (ESPN.com, 12/31).

On the eve of the inaugural CFP, the N.Y. TIMES' Tracy & Rohan explore the business of college football in a front-page piece: "Never has the sport been so awash in money, a growth industry on campuses that some observers believe increasingly resembles professional football." The story of the sport's "gold rush can be told through television contracts," highlighted by ESPN's $7.3B CFP deal over 12 years to "telecast seven games a year" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/31).

L.A. TIMES' Chris Dufresne: "College football's future is bright but also perplexing" (L.A. TIMES, 12/31). USA TODAY's George Schroeder writes if the CFP "has altered the sport and amped up the postseason, it also ramped up the level of logistical difficulty for football programs" (USA TODAY, 12/31).

Ford today will launch an ad campaign for its new F-150 pickup truck during college football bowl game coverage. The ads will highlight the aluminum-body truck's "light weight, features and towing capabilities." Ford also "will tout the truck through its partnership with Fox Network Group; with brand partners like Toby Keith and NASCAR; and with John Brenkus from ESPN's 'Sports Science,' who will host a series of 'F-150 Tough Science' webisodes" (DETROITNEWS.com, 12/30).

The Penguins announced that the team "will not be able to reschedule" Saturday's home game against the Canadiens to "prevent a conflict with the Steelers' Saturday night playoff game" against the Ravens. The NHL game will begin at 7:00pm ET, while the playoff game at Heinz Field has a scheduled kickoff of 8:15pm ET. The Penguins in a statement said that because the game is slated for national TV coverage in Canada, "it was impossible to change the time" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/30).

Tuesday's Stanford-Maryland Foster Farms Bowl drew an announced crowd of 34,780 in its first year at Levi's Stadium, though the "actual crowd in the building for the Cardinal's 45-21 victory was barely 20,000." Foster Farms Bowl Exec Dir Gary Cavalli "acknowledged disappointment" at the crowd size and said he had hoped for 40,000-50,000 fans. Cavalli: "We've got some work to do" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 12/31).

A crowd of 45,671 on Tuesday braved “a chilly night” at Bank of America Stadium for the Georgia-Louisville Belk Bowl (ONLINEATHENS.com, 12/30). That figure is up 1% from the North Carolina-Cincinnati matchup last year (THE DAILY). The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, featuring Notre Dame-LSU, drew an attendance  of 60,419, the "fifth-best in bowl history" at LP Field (GANNETT, 12/30).

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law a measure that makes it "illegal for student-athletes at Michigan's public universities and colleges to join a union." There has been "no talk from athletes" at Michigan, Michigan State "or the state's other public colleges and universities of unionizing." Football players at Northwestern "took a vote on unionization," but the results of that vote are still unknown because the "votes were never counted" (MLIVE.com, 12/30).

Giants President & CEO John Mara's Tuesday press conference on the state of the organization featured a rare discussion of the family dynamics of team ownership. Specifically, he was asked how his mother, Ann Mara, feels about the last several seasons.

Q: You have talked about the fan base being disappointed, but what about the boss? What does your mom say about all this?
Mara: She is not very happy with me right now, believe me. She suffers through this probably even more so than I do. I am on notice as well.

Q: After the Jacksonville game, did she want you fired?
Mara: Not just after the Jacksonville game (Mult., 12/31).

Workers last night began “resodding the middle of the field” at Bank of America Stadium “about two hours after the end” of the Belk Bowl. The stadium hosts the Cardinals-Panthers NFC Wild Card playoff game on Saturday (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/31).

The Colts have less than 6,000 tickets left for Sunday’s AFC wildcard playoff game against the Bengals at Lucas Oil Stadium and must sell them by Thursday’s deadline to “lift the local television blackout” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 12/31).

Ducks C Ryan Getzlaf said that he was “not encouraged by any team official to stage the practice he arranged Friday during the NHL’s mandatory holiday period” (L.A. TIMES, 12/31).

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made a C$4.5M payment to BBB Stadium Inc. “on its new home at Investors Group Field.” The payment was "made up of entertainment tax, facility fees, and excess cash” (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 12/31).

USA Today runs an eight-page preview section ahead of Thursday's Blackhawks-Capitals Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Nationals Park, with ads from Epix, Honda, Molson Canadian and SiriusXM (THE DAILY).

“It took a great deal more preparation than I thought. I couldn’t just go on the radio and just talk, or go on TV and not do some work” – Pistons President of Basketball Operations and coach Stan Van Gundy, on his radio and TV work after being fired by the Magic in '12 (DETROIT NEWS, 12/31).

“I feel like we’ve lost a lot of our personality. If someone is really having a go at the umpire, you are not going to change the channel. It’s an impossibility” – FS1's Andy Roddick, who wants to scrap tennis' Hawk-Eye replay system or severely alter the review process (CNN.com, 12/29).

“We consider this a tool to assist us in the search process. Several other teams have taken advantage of this resource, and we think it’s a good idea” – Bears Chair George McCaskey, on using the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel in finding candidates for their vacant GM and coaching positions (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 12/30).

“The team is terrible, but the story lines are sizzling, ratings are sky-high and business is booming” – CBSSN’s Roger Lodge, on Redskins Coach Jay Gruden and QB Robert Griffin III returning to team in 2015 despite dramatic 2014 season (“Rome,” CBSSN, 12/30).

“What's Atlanta doing? They're building a stadium. Who's going to come in and give you more publicity than any other coach? That would be Rex Ryan” – Showtime’s Phil Simms, on the Falcons coaching search (“Inside the NFL,” Showtime, 12/30).

Last night’s 1:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with the Notre Dame-LSU Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl while FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Raptors-Blazers. ESPN followed with the Georgia-Louisville Belk Bowl, Cavaliers-Hawks and Raptors-Blazers. FS1 followed with Cavaliers-Hawks, Spurs-Grizzlies and a report on Jim Harbaugh becoming Michigan’s head football coach.

ESPN’s “Olbermann” did not air yesterday.

Some of these bowl ads (like that one w singing chickens) are making me re-think my stance that there's no such thing as too many bowl games

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 31, 2014

Cottrell thought Suh did it on purpose & still overturned suspension? If intentionally trying to hurt MVP doesn't get U suspended what does?

— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) December 31, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL from #newzealand; Be at war with your Vices, at Peace with your Neighbours & let every New Year find you a better person.

— Greg Norman (@SharkGregNorman) December 31, 2014

The tradition of ringing in the new year by dropping an object was born on top of the @nytimes building in 1907

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) December 31, 2014

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Royalty.”

“He was the last English monarch to die in battle.”

“Who was Richard III?”

King Richard III died in 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field during the Wars of the Roses.