CFP championship's viewership down nearly a quarter from '15

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) The College Football Playoff championship's viewership is down nearly a quarter from last year. Alabama's 45-40 victory over Clemson on

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) The College Football Playoff championship's viewership is down nearly a quarter from last year.

Alabama's 45-40 victory over Clemson on Monday night averaged 25.7 million viewers on ESPN, down 23 percent from the 33.4 million for the inaugural CFP title game in 2015.

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The audience was smaller than that for both of last season's semifinals, along with two of the four BCS title games ESPN aired: Auburn-Oregon in 2011 and Alabama-Notre Dame in 2013.

ESPN said Monday the ''Megacast'' of alternate broadcasts totaled 26.2 million viewers including ESPN2 and ESPNU. Online streaming added an average of 585,000 viewers.