GRLC too large?

[scooter]

From a geographic standpoint, does anyone else feel that the GRLC has become too large, and could potentially necessitate being split up into two separate conferences/leagues?

Looking at where current and potential teams are located, it seems that this conference is too big. It sounds as if both Depaul and Ole Miss are petitioning to be added to the conference which is great for the growth of the sport, but look how much bigger it will make the conference.

Already there are teams located in Manhattan, KS to Searcy, AR and from Lincoln, NE to essentially Chicago, IL. It is a 10+ hour drive from any of these locations.

Granted, there are many other teams that lie in between, but is it really fair/ feasible to have a conference so large?

I mean, hypothetically, what if Wheaton wanted to play Kansas State? would that not be a 13+ hour drive one way if one of them were to play on their own home turf?

[bste_lax]

WCLL (San Fran to Arizona) and SELC (South Florida to Tennessee) are just as large. GRLC is not the only conference covering a large chunk of land.

[nhoskins]

Definitely. Not only is it feasible, but other leagues have been dealing with this kind of travel for years. If Montana comes back to the A division, both UO and SFU will be making the 600+ mile trip to Missoula, with Boise State being another long trip too. The GRLC isn't alone in having long trips, its a reality of club sports. I think every league has at least one or two long drives, and some programs only have long drives with no nearby neighbors.

[Troy Hood]

Gentlemen:

We are just fine with the geographic size of the conference. When compared to what the CCLA was working with prior to the split, I would consider this convenient.

The CCLA used to run from Manhattan, KS to Buffalo, NY. A little bigger "problem". We are not the largest in geographic area either. I would imagine traveling anywhere out west has to be interesting.

[NELAX21]

i don't think we are to big, all conferences cover multiple states where the 2 furthest teams are 8-10 hours or more apart. Which is why they separate the conference by location as we have done in the BA and those are the only required games. The A is a little more complicated right now, but hopefully it would be done by location soon, which would negate the "to large problem"