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  • Originally posted by NewEraWarrior View Post
    Can someone explain to me how or why the GLIAC has rapidly started to dissolve? Not looking for a smart-ass remark, looking for a legitimate answer. What has long been considered one of the strongest D2 conferences is now on the brink of extinction. And this all transpired in the span of 7-8 years.
    I will give my best guess. The GLIAC has had trouble maintaining membership on the fringes of the conference for some time now. The strength they had for so many years was the base of schools in close proximity that were all well funded and fairly competitive. However, that base seems to be shrinking. Former mainstays like Ashland, Indianapolis, and the majority of the GMAC left. Oakland went to Division I. If that trend continues with GVSU and Ferris going D1 and Davenport leaving for the GMAC rumors swirling, then the GLIAC simply will not have enough schools. However, I do not think the conference will dissolve at any minute, and frankly, I think they are in a really strong place to grow if they are smart. With all the realignment at the D1 level, the GVSU and Ferris jump seemed imminent a couple of months ago, but there seems to be a hangup somewhere. In reality, the GLIAC is not going to fold anytime soon. Where they are in trouble is that they need add some schools or they are in jeopardy of not having enough to sponsor certain sports, football included.

    For the GLIAC, the way forward seems to be the following.

    1. Figure out the Ferris and GVSU situation. If they are going (and I think they will eventually), then it is time to figure out some new membership.
    2. New Membership. I know this is obvious, but they need more football schools badly. In the past, schools would bend over backward to play in the GLIAC because the competition was so good. Nowadays, schools seem focused on lowering travel costs and being in conferences with similar schools (mostly private or mostly public). the GLIAC has historically had both, but the public schools run the conference now. so the privates are hesitant to join. The best path for them seems to be opening up the conference to private school expansion, mostly from the NAIA. This will mean the public schools will give up some of their control in order to keep the conference alive. The best bet would be to aim for a 50/50 split public to private, but that will take some time. I would think that the current schools that the conference could explore expansion with are: Lewis from the GLVC, UM-Dearborn, Lawrence Tech, Madonna, Concordia-Ann-Arbor, and Siena Heights. They should really focus on the Northern Indiana and Michigan areas because those are the schools that will be most willing to deal with the increased travel costs of going up to the NMU, LSSU, and MTU. Additionally, the farther south you go in expansion, the more likely that school ends up leaving to the GLVC or the GMAC in a few years.
    3. Potentially Bring Some Old Schools Back. If the GLIAC can add a handful of private schools (hopefully that have football), I think they have a shot of attracting back schools like Northwood and Hillsdale. Those schools left because they were isolated as private schools in a public school-heavy conference. If that ratio were to be more balanced, they could maybe be persuaded to return (at least for Northwood, Hillsdale is a whole other situation as it is basically in Ohio. )

    If they focus on that process, they have a decent shot of keeping the conference together. They will probably sacrifice some competition level when/if GVSU and Ferris leave, but that seems preferable to an outright folding of the conference and members scramble into the GLVC or GMAC or NSIC if you are LSSU, MTU or NMU.

    This is all just my thoughts on the situation, but I hope that clears some stuff up for you.

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    • Originally posted by BeachinLaker View Post

      I would love to see Indy join us in D1.
      same lol i honestly think they would be pretty competitive

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      • Originally posted by NewEraWarrior View Post
        Can someone explain to me how or why the GLIAC has rapidly started to dissolve? Not looking for a smart-ass remark, looking for a legitimate answer. What has long been considered one of the strongest D2 conferences is now on the brink of extinction. And this all transpired in the span of 7-8 years.
        A complete lack of leadership in the GLIAC office. No vision, no plan.

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        • Originally posted by MrsThortonMelon View Post

          A complete lack of leadership in the GLIAC office. No vision, no plan.
          In the current arena of D2 athletics if you're not growing, you're dying. The GLIAC seems to have rested on their laurels for that 7-8 year blink of an eye and find themselves on the precipice of extinction. In the PSAC, which I follow, they seem to be constantly seeking new members even at the cost of aggravating relations with neighboring conferences, namely GLIAC, Gannon/Mercyhurst, and WVIAC/MEC, Seton Hill/UPJ/Shepherd. Don't doubt that they would poach MEC newbie Frostburg State if they have half a chance. 21st century college athletics are nothing like those of two decades ago.

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          • It's been lack of leadership. But it's not the only issue. Geography alone can drive some of the deflections. It's easier for some conferences to poach neighboring teams. In the GLIAC, it's already a big footprint. For a school that is tight on $$s, why not move to another stable conference when they can just take a few hour vs multi day drive to the competition? It's not the only factor, but one that is real.
            This issue of public vs private MIGHT have some legs, but when some schools were GLIAC members for decades and then they point at this issue, it rings hallow. The issue that public schools gets subsidized is misleading in that though the dollars aren't trivial, it's been much lower than 10-15 years ago. I think GV is less that 20% for example. It used to be much higher.. Maybe 80%??? So if anything the pendulum is swinging the other way here.

            And the one that might be difficult to accept is competition. I think this is speculative, but it's not unreasonable. Certain schools have been annually near or at the top, year in and year out. For whatever reason, that's a fact. Did some schools say "that's it?" "I can lower my costs and improve my chance with winning so I'm out of here!" Though Northwood's travel costs went up with the move, so go figure.

            I find it odd how there has been NO mention of SVSU or Wayne in this discussion. I especially point to Wayne as they have been spending on their facilities and SVSU has also made major improvements. Wayne may not have thousands of on campus students, but they still are a big "dog."

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            • Probably beating a dead horse re: GLIAC leadership, but it looks like the commissioner was MIA at Media Day today.

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              • Originally posted by mtsax305 View Post
                Probably beating a dead horse re: GLIAC leadership, but it looks like the commissioner was MIA at Media Day today.
                Is that uncommon?

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                • She made an appearance last year and the little write up on the GLIAC site said she would have something to say. Guess she changed her mind.

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                  • Originally posted by mtsax305 View Post
                    Probably beating a dead horse re: GLIAC leadership, but it looks like the commissioner was MIA at Media Day today.
                    She was on the phone with the PAC 12 trying to get an invite.

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by mtsax305 View Post
                      Probably beating a dead horse re: GLIAC leadership, but it looks like the commissioner was MIA at Media Day today.
                      The GLIAC actually has a commissioner? I didnt think the GLIAC did...you would never know it by their actions..And for that matter the Ferris and SVSU head coaches couldnt be bothered to make it either..Lack of respect to the other coaches that did go.

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                      • http://www.freep.com/story/news/educ...3/10201016002/

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                        • I believe he said something similar when construction was finished. It's smaller, but probably nicer than a lot of mid-major arenas. The big issue is bringing the other facilities up to that level. I also can't see a world where Wayne State makes the first step towards a move up; I just don't think they have the fortitude to do it. Plus the reasons discussed ad nauseum here about why moving up is a bad idea. That being said, my heart would absolutely love being D1, but I don't think it's in the cards until the dust settles up top.

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