WIAA Board Of Control Gives Final Approval To Football Realignment
Wednesday, April 17th, 2019 -- 7:13 AM
The WIAA Board of Control passed a statewide football-only conference realignment proposal and supported a raise in ticket prices for Sectional and State Tournaments at its April meeting on Tuesday.According to the press release, the Board unanimously approved its final consideration of the football-only conference proposal crafted by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association. First approval of the plan was granted by the Board with a 9-2 vote at its meeting in March. The plan, which will be implemented in the 2020 season, gives uniformity to the number of schools affiliated with a conference and makes certain programs have enough conference games for playoff qualification.
The Board voted to increase the ticket price of sectional tournament events by $1 from $5 to $6, and to increase State Tournament tickets $2 for those tickets currently priced at $6 and $8. It’s the first ticket increase at the sectional level since 2014 and at the State level for a majority of sports since 2004. Ticket prices for the State Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments remain unchanged. Revenue from the increase in ticket prices will allow for an increase in game fees paid to regional and sectional contest officials and tournament game managers, as well as an increase in school State Tournament travel reimbursement, tournament game officials travel reimbursement and WIAA Board and committee travel expenses.
The Valley Football Association will move back to two divisions, as it had been from its inception in 2011 until moving to three divisions in 2017. Marshfield will play in the VFA West, along with traditional Wisconsin Valley Conference rivals Stevens Point, D.C. Everest, Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau West and Wausau East. Appleton West and Hortonville will also be part of the division.
Spencer/Columbus Catholic will move from the Cloverbelt to the Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division, as will Marawood Conference power Stratford. Nekoosa, Amherst, Wittenberg-Birnamwood, Weyauwega-Fremont, Manawa and Shiocton will round out the CWC Large.
The CWC Small will include former Cloverwood teams Loyal and Wisconsin Rapids Assumption. Stevens Point Pacelli, Iola-Scandinavia, Pittsville, Rosholt, Wild Rose and Almond-Bancroft will also be part of the CWC Small.
Neillsville/Granton will remain in the Cloverbelt Conference, along with Stanley-Boyd, Fall Creek, Osseo-Fairchild and Eau Claire Regis. Mondovi, Elk Mound, and Durand will be joining the conference.
The Cloverwood/Marawood Conference will be comprised of Auburndale, Marathon and Edgar from the Marawood, Colby from the Cloverbelt, and Abbotsford, Thorp, Athens and Owen-Withee from the Cloverwood.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.