Hypothetical - What happens if the NCC breaks apart?

[Guest DT]

The North Central Conference is Indianas most venerable and most famous athletic conference since the inception of high school sports in Indiana

It is home to legendary players, Teams,  Coaches and basketball venues

It is also home to the longest and most expensive travel commutes between member schools than any other conference in the state

Most will say that the NCC will never die, it's an Indiana institution and it is resistant to the changes that impact other leagues

That was all true until original member New Castle shocked the NCC and the entire state with its decision to leave for the more travel friendly Hoosier Heritage

We are in a different world now, one that has put every entity firmly into the grip of Covid, and many long standing traditions and customs are being forced to change

If the Lafayette schools pull out, let's assume a tidal wave of departures ensues as schools follow the New Castle route and look to stay closer to home 

Where does everybody land, and what does the conference landscape look like in a post NCC world?

 

 

[DanteEstonia]

1 hour ago, DT said:

Where does everybody land, and what does the conference landscape look like in a post NCC world?

Let's start with this-

 

[Guest DT]

The HHC schools have no interest in moving.  They are a well matched group and travel is minimal.  

[DanteEstonia]

2 hours ago, DT said:

The HHC schools have no interest in moving.  They are a well matched group and travel is minimal.  

... and then someone else pulls a Rushville, and leaves. 

[Gipper]

As I have said earlier, an East-West split is the most logical: 3 Tippecanoe County schools plus Kokomo and Logansport make out the west while Anderson, Marion, Muncie Central, Richmond, and Tech comprising the east.  Expansion will be needed.  Lebanon, Western, and West Lafayette to the west, and I guess the eastern division can poach whomever they want: maybe Yorktown, Delta, and Jay County.

[Bears62]

All 3 Lafayette schools should leave in my opinion... where to I’m not sure. The travel for them isn’t necessarily a staying point. A few of the schools are much further than Indy schools. Marion 1 and 1/2 hours, Richmond 2 hours, Muncie 2 hours, Kokomo 1 hour, Anderson 1 and 1/2 hours from Lafayette

[Gipper]

1 hour ago, Bears62 said:

All 3 Lafayette schools should leave in my opinion... where to I’m not sure. The travel for them isn’t necessarily a staying point. A few of the schools are much further than Indy schools. Marion 1 and 1/2 hours, Richmond 2 hours, Muncie 2 hours, Kokomo 1 hour, Anderson 1 and 1/2 hours from Lafayette

I feel that way also, and so should Kokomo and Logansport.  The NCC covers too much real estate. 

[DanteEstonia]

1 hour ago, Gipper said:

 The NCC covers too much real estate. 

NCC-

No

Concept of

Cost

[Gipper]

1 hour ago, DanteEstonia said:

NCC-

No

Concept of

Cost

Spot on.  It’s an old boy’s network, I just wonder if and when simple economics will win out.

[BigBH]

the 1980's want to know does anybody really care?

Edited February 8, 2021 by BigBH

[Muda69]

On 2/6/2021 at 8:33 PM, Gipper said:

As I have said earlier, an East-West split is the most logical: 3 Tippecanoe County schools plus Kokomo and Logansport make out the west while Anderson, Marion, Muncie Central, Richmond, and Tech comprising the east.  Expansion will be needed.  Lebanon, Western, and West Lafayette to the west, and I guess the eastern division can poach whomever they want: maybe Yorktown, Delta, and Jay County.

I feel you'll have a hard time convincing Western and West Lafayette that a newly re-jiggered NCC is better for them than the Hoosier Conference is now.  Especially the River Rats................

 

[Indiana Fan]

I still cannot believe Tech is in this conference. Tech needs to make the move to conference Indiana. 

[Indiana Fan]

1 minute ago, Indiana Fan said:

I still cannot believe Tech is in this conference. Tech needs to make the move to conference Indiana. 

I am and have always been someone who believes conferences should be based off of location and drive time. I have posted my opinions and stances and proposals of other conferences in other threads. The NCC has history, but these distances of schools are very long.

[Guest DT]

Isnt Lebanon growing and nearly 5A?

The following might be an interesting setup :

Jeff

Harrison

McCutcheon

Kokomo

Lebanon

Logansport

Plenty of open dates for these schools to still play old rivals yet still have a conference championship opportunuity

[Obi-Wan]

And Western is a larger 4A in football. So you could add them to the mix.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Obi-Wan

[Indiana Fan]

46 minutes ago, DT said:

Isnt Lebanon growing and nearly 5A?

The following might be an interesting setup :

Jeff

Harrison

McCutcheon

Kokomo

Lebanon

Logansport

Plenty of open dates for these schools to still play old rivals yet still have a conference championship opportunuity

Lebanon is growing yes. And certainly has lots of potential as it is a sports community. They would need to show they could belong first. They have struggled in athletics recently.

[Muda69]

1 hour ago, Indiana Fan said:

Lebanon is growing yes. And certainly has lots of potential as it is a sports community. They would need to show they could belong first. They have struggled in athletics recently.

As the Indianapolis area urban sprawl moves northward along I-65 Lebanon stands poised to become the next Zionsville.

 

[BigBH]

4 hours ago, Muda69 said:

As the Indianapolis area urban sprawl moves northward along I-65 Lebanon stands poised to become the next Zionsville.

 

Not anytime soon...upscale housing in Lebanon not there yet.... Zionsville folks with cash will just transfer junior and drive it.

[Gipper]

11 hours ago, Muda69 said:

I feel you'll have a hard time convincing Western and West Lafayette that a newly re-jiggered NCC is better for them than the Hoosier Conference is now.  Especially the River Rats................

 

Not necessarily.  Most Hoosier Conference schools are 2 and 3A.  WLHS needs to find tougher competition or they’ll always get bounced in the first round of the Sectional.

[BDGiant93]

On 2/6/2021 at 7:16 AM, DT said:

 

That was all true until original member New Castle shocked the NCC and the entire state with its decision to leave for the more travel friendly Hoosier Heritage

 

Didn't the NCC pretty much purge New Castle or am I not remembering that correctly?

[Obi-Wan]

12 hours ago, Gipper said:

Not necessarily.  Most Hoosier Conference schools are 2 and 3A.  WLHS needs to find tougher competition or they’ll always get bounced in the first round of the Sectional.

You could say the same thing about Western. This past season they had a team that was really good and should have at least been in contention for the Sectional crown. Only to get bounced by Lebanon again in the first round. They rolled through the regular season with Heights being their only stumble. They even beat Western Boone. They are another school I could see that would make this hypothetical move if it gave them more competition for the State Tournament. 

[Muda69]

3 minutes ago, Obi-Wan said:

You could say the same thing about Western. This past season they had a team that was really good and should have at least been in contention for the Sectional crown. Only to get bounced by Lebanon again in the first round. They rolled through the regular season with Heights being their only stumble. They even beat Western Boone. They are another school I could see that would make this hypothetical move if it gave them more competition for the State Tournament. 

Wait a second, I thought the Hoosier Conference touts itself, at least here on the GID, as the perfect conference schedule to get a football team ready for the tournament?

 

[Obi-Wan]

1 minute ago, Muda69 said:

Wait a second, I thought the Hoosier Conference touts itself, at least here on the GID, as the perfect conference schedule to get a football team ready for the tournament?

 

I would agree to an extent, for the smaller schools like LCC or Tipton when they make runs, but the Schools like Western or WL are could be seen as held back at times. Don't get me wrong I love the HC but we are talking HYPOTHETICAL I am sure both programs would consider a move if it helped them make a State run. 

[Muda69]

22 minutes ago, Obi-Wan said:

I would agree to an extent, for the smaller schools like LCC or Tipton when they make runs, but the Schools like Western or WL are could be seen as held back at times. Don't get me wrong I love the HC but we are talking HYPOTHETICAL I am sure both programs would consider a move if it helped them make a State run. 

I see your point.  But I don't think even a re-tooled NCC as described here would help the likes of a Western or WL in a tournament run, not unless the overall strength of the NCC programs improve.

 

[DE]

13 hours ago, Gipper said:

Not necessarily.  Most Hoosier Conference schools are 2 and 3A.  WLHS needs to find tougher competition or they’ll always get bounced in the first round of the Sectional.

Huh?  I am pretty sure that Sectional the last few years, regardless if they played in their conference or the SEC, would've made that much of a difference.