WIAA football-Only Conference Realignment Proposal Would Bring Big Changes

Thursday, December 8th, 2022 -- 8:26 AM

WisSports.net reports that at its December meeting, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Conference Realignment Task Force reviewed a number of football-only proposals from member schools and voted on those requests, with an preliminary statewide realignment plan advanced for additional consideration for both 8-player and 11-player football.

The Conference Realignment Task Force applied the following rationale to submitted plans and in developing modifications to submitted plans:

1. Provide a conference for all member schools

a. Group by enrollment
b. Group by geography

2. Work to maintain 8-team conferences with possible paired conferences if necessary and appropriate

Under the plan as currently presented, 105 teams in 11-player football would change conferences in 2024. Another dozen would make the move from 11-player to 8-player during that time, as barring any forfeits or season cancelations, the total number of 11-play squads would dip to 366.

Only 17 of the 49 current conferences would NOT be impacted at all by this round of realignment: Big Eight, Big East, Classic Eight, Cloverbelt, Dairyland, Greater Metro, Metro Classic, Midwest Classic, Mississippi Valley, North Shore, Packerland, Parkland, Rock Valley, Southeast, Southern Lakes, Flyway, and Woodland.

The venerable Marawood Conference would cease to exist for football as well, with several of the teams moving to 8-player a couple years ago and others spread through the CWC-Small and CWC-Large.

The VFA and Big Rivers would combine to form two new leagues, the Big Rivers/VFA-East and the Big Rivers/VFA-West. Teams from the FRCC-North, FRCC-South, and FVA, along with Hortonville moving back to the group from the VFA, would be rearranged into three new groupings of eight teams. 

Here's what the 11 Player Proposed Realignment would look like...Comprehensive Modified Conference Affiliations Plan - 11-player

In 8-player football, every conference would get a new name, though there would still be nine leagues in 8-player, just as there are currently. The number of teams participating in 8-player would expand to 67, though not all would be eligible for the playoffs because of the 200-student, three-year average enrollment cap. A total of 12 new teams will move to 8-player beginning in 2024, with several others earning playoff eligibility after previously switching to 8-player outside the designated cycle.

These conference affiliations would apply in 2024 and 2025, with a new round of statewide realignment that would take place in 2026.

Here's what the 8 Player Proposed Realignment would look like.....Comprehensive Modified Conference Affiliations Plan - 8-player

The Task Force's proposal has been published for schools to review, and the group will meet again virtually in early January to give newly affected schools an opportunity to appear and be heard. The following week, the Task Force will hear appeals and additional feedback from schools, modifying and finalizing any changes and solutions. 

If necessary, the Task Force will meet again in February to hear from affected schools and review any new submissions or solutions. The full Conference Realignment Flow Chart can be viewed here.

A final Realignment Proposal will then be forwarded to the WIAA Board of Control, which will meet in March to vote on the plans and has final authority over conference realignment.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.