CFP chair says coaches like Nick Saban don't understand 'real world' interest in bowl games

College Football Playoff chair Jeff Long had some harsh words in response to Alabama coach Nick Saban's assertion that the playoff had a negative impact on fans because it took attention away from other bowl games.

"I think sometimes coaches, particularly those at the highest level, I'm not sure how aware they are of what's really going on out there in the real world," Long said in an interview on Arkansas radio, according to al.com.

"You know, bowl games, they keep adding bowl games. And I think the television interest for the games is higher than ever before, so I think that's not only the College Football Playoff, but as we've gone through some of those bowl games. So I'm not sure it's having that effect."

Long supported his point by pointing out that TV ratings for non-playoff bowl games were up in 2014.

Saban, speaking to reporters last week at a golf pro-am in Alabama, said his worst fears about the College Football Playoff came to fruition.

"All the attention, all the interest would be about the four teams in the playoffs," Saban said, "which is exactly what happened."