Options for Galesburg??

As the Western Big Six explores options with the Mid-State 6 Conference, there is the possibility not all schools involved with be happy with the outcome of a merger. A full merger between the two schools would result in a ten team conference which would be an athletic director's dream come true in football. With 10 schools, they would not need to schedule any non-conference games.

At this time, it appears the WB6 has four options--
1- Do nothing and say what they have been doing for 40+ years is ok. Some WB6 schools would not be happy with this option.
2- Work out a football only deal. Some WB6 schools would not be happy with this option.
3- Work out a football plus selected other sports. Some WB6 schools would not be happy with this option.
4- Form a total merger. Some WB6 schools would not be happy with this option.


When you are part of a conference, you don't get things exactly like you would like. In this case, the question will be if any of the unhappy WB6 schools seek to leave the WB6. So the irony would be if a merger to get 10 schools turns out to be a merger that gets an 8 or 9 team conference.

Rumor has it that another school in the Peoria area would like to get into the Mid-Illini. The Mid-Illini has 8 schools and does not want to have only 9 schools. So an option would be if the one school could get one other school from either the WB6 or Peoria to go with them to the Mid-Illini.

And Dixon has just left their conference, leaving it with only 11 schools. You never want an odd number of schools. So the following article from the Argus, leads to speculation if a WB6 school might be interested in this conference.

A conference that has been rock solid for 40+ years has in a matter of two months become extremely unstable it would appear.

From the Argus....

Sauk Valley Media reported on Thursday that Dixon and Johnsburg were accepted into the Big Northern Conference starting with the 2014-15 school year. Dixon is a member of the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference and Johnsburg is in the Fox Valley Conference.

Geneseo athletic director Travis Mackey said the league was informed via email on Thursday. He said NIB12 officials must vote "to allow (Dixon) to leave" the conference. A vote, according to Mackey, could happen "fairly soon."

If Dixon departs, the NIB12 would be down to 11 schools.

"As a conference, we're going to explore our options to attract someone to replace them," Mackey said. "Right now, we don't have leads. ... We want to hold our conference together."

Asked if Geneseo would have any interest in the Western Big 6 Conference, Mackey said, "It's early in the stages to be in a panic mode."

"(Dixon) has two more years (before it leaves)," Mackey said. "At the same time, we have to be aggressive to be in the right spot. Right now, we're going to sit back and gather information."