FB: American Rivers Conference

[HansenRatings]

New strategic plan for the conference.

https://rollrivers.com/news/2025/6/23/american-rivers-conference-unveils-2025-28-strategic-plan-to-guide-future-growth-and-impact.aspx

Particularly of note in the "Achievement and Competitive Opportunities" section, the first bullet point:
Introduce a new football bowl game in partnership with another conference

I wonder if the MIAC will soften their stance on bowl games now that they've done away with their "championship week," otherwise I'm not sure who would make sense. I could maybe see something where the top non-playoff team from a combination of the UMAC/MWC/NACC matches up with the next best team from the ARC, but that would probably, regrettably mean the dissolution of the Lakefront Bowl. If money wasn't an issue (ha), some sort of partnership with the NWC/ASC would be amazing.

[Pat Coleman]

I know the CCIW is already committing a team to a postseason bowl, but they would also be a good match for an ARC runner-up.

[Gregulator316]

The ASC would fun. They could play it in Kansas City, roughly halfway between Dallas and Dubuque.

[HansenRatings]

Just had another idea: get the GPAC or Heart of America to agree to a bowl matchup. I want to see how some of these NAIA's match up against the ARC.

This is also me wish-casting a recurring Wartburg/Grand View wrestling dual into existence.

[DriftlessDuhawk]

So happy to hear this news about the future of an ARC team playing in a bowl game. I have long said that I think the MIAC would be a great conference to match up with. I know Rochester Community College has a pretty decent stadium, and it would be halfway-ish between the cities and Iowa, not to mention you could ask Mayo to spare a few bucks to sponsor it. Otherwise, a game in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area would make sense (UNI dome?).

My only issue with this idea is if the game tried to make a Floyd of Rosedale-esque trophy, as I personally cannot stand the two D1 teams who play for that silly pig. 

[DriftlessDuhawk]

I could maybe see something where the top non-playoff team from a combination of the UMAC/MWC/NACC matches up with the next best team from the ARC, but that would probably, regrettably mean the dissolution of the Lakefront Bowl.

The other issue with this is that I know a couple of teams in these conferences have asked if the ARC plans on moving up to 10 teams with the subtraction of Luther, according to my "sources".

[HansenRatings]

So happy to hear this news about the future of an ARC team playing in a bowl game. I have long said that I think the MIAC would be a great conference to match up with. I know Rochester Community College has a pretty decent stadium, and it would be halfway-ish between the cities and Iowa, not to mention you could ask Mayo to spare a few bucks to sponsor it. Otherwise, a game in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area would make sense (UNI dome?).

My only issue with this idea is if the game tried to make a Floyd of Rosedale-esque trophy, as I personally cannot stand the two D1 teams who play for that silly pig. 

UNI Dome would be really convenient for me, since my in-laws live 10 miles away, but that weekend is already pretty good & booked with the state high school playoffs, even if they are finished up on Friday.

[doolittledog]

I could maybe see something where the top non-playoff team from a combination of the UMAC/MWC/NACC matches up with the next best team from the ARC, but that would probably, regrettably mean the dissolution of the Lakefront Bowl.

The other issue with this is that I know a couple of teams in these conferences have asked if the ARC plans on moving up to 10 teams with the subtraction of Luther, according to my "sources".

Even if completely made up...you have my attention 

[HansenRatings]

I could maybe see something where the top non-playoff team from a combination of the UMAC/MWC/NACC matches up with the next best team from the ARC, but that would probably, regrettably mean the dissolution of the Lakefront Bowl.

The other issue with this is that I know a couple of teams in these conferences have asked if the ARC plans on moving up to 10 teams with the subtraction of Luther, according to my "sources".

Even if completely made up...you have my attention 

I've been sitting on this for a little while, because I'm not exactly in the business of breaking news and I don't want to upset my "sources," since probably anybody who knows me would pretty easily be able to figure out who those sources are - Monmouth and Northwestern MN have both previously expressed interest in ARC membership and both have reached out to the league about joining since Luther's departure.

Neither would be a perfect fit, geographically, with several road trips extending beyond 4 hours:
NWU to NW'ern = 6:29
NWU to Monmouth = 5:51
BVU to Monmouth = 5:13
Central to NW'ern = 4:19
BVU to NW'ern = 4:18
Simpson to NW'ern = 4:01

And both would be outliers in terms of enrollment.
Monmouth: 715
Central: 1,095
Loras: 1,149
Simpson: 1,163
Coe: 1,278
BVU: 1,442
Wartburg: 1,451
NWU: 1,531
Dubuque: 1,795
Northwestern: 3,262

Would love to hear if those are the same schools DriftlessDuhawk was referring to.

[DriftlessDuhawk]

Yeah, Logan and I have very similar sources, as these are the two schools I was referring to. The only thing I would add is that with Luther leaving, the conference is looking to move to a "travel partner" approach for all non-football sports.

With that being said, adding both Monmouth and Northwestern doesn't really work with that idea, and so the league would rather expand in one direction by getting two schools. So, either looking for an additional school in western Illinois or another one in the Twin Cities area.

[doolittledog]

Yeah, Logan and I have very similar sources, as these are the two schools I was referring to. The only thing I would add is that with Luther leaving, the conference is looking to move to a "travel partner" approach for all non-football sports.

With that being said, adding both Monmouth and Northwestern doesn't really work with that idea, and so the league would rather expand in one direction by getting two schools. So, either looking for an additional school in western Illinois or another one in the Twin Cities area.

Knox is about 20 miles away from Monmouth.  With Luther leaving for the Midwest Conference it might be a bit funny to lose one school to that conference only to then take two from them.

[HansenRatings]

Yeah, Logan and I have very similar sources, as these are the two schools I was referring to. The only thing I would add is that with Luther leaving, the conference is looking to move to a "travel partner" approach for all non-football sports.

With that being said, adding both Monmouth and Northwestern doesn't really work with that idea, and so the league would rather expand in one direction by getting two schools. So, either looking for an additional school in western Illinois or another one in the Twin Cities area.

I said this before, but I think Augustana would make a lot of sense for both parties. They're a good fit for the ARC geographically & fit the mold of the current institutions, and if Monmouth gets/accepts an invitation, that would be a good travel partner for them.

I'm not sure who else from the Twin Cities area would make sense, either for the ARC or for a school potentially looking for greener pastures.

[doolittledog]

Yeah, Logan and I have very similar sources, as these are the two schools I was referring to. The only thing I would add is that with Luther leaving, the conference is looking to move to a "travel partner" approach for all non-football sports.

With that being said, adding both Monmouth and Northwestern doesn't really work with that idea, and so the league would rather expand in one direction by getting two schools. So, either looking for an additional school in western Illinois or another one in the Twin Cities area.

I said this before, but I think Augustana would make a lot of sense for both parties. They're a good fit for the ARC geographically & fit the mold of the current institutions, and if Monmouth gets/accepts an invitation, that would be a good travel partner for them.

I'm not sure who else from the Twin Cities area would make sense, either for the ARC or for a school potentially looking for greener pastures.

Replace Luther with, wait for it, Martin Luther.  And there is a Brewery in New Ulm, MN.  (this is said with tongue firmly planted in cheek)

[DriftlessDuhawk]

I said this before, but I think Augustana would make a lot of sense for both parties. They're a good fit for the ARC geographically & fit the mold of the current institutions, and if Monmouth gets/accepts an invitation, that would be a good travel partner for them.

I'm not sure who else from the Twin Cities area would make sense, either for the ARC or for a school potentially looking for greener pastures.

I agree with Logan that Augustana would make the most sense as they fit the mold and geography of the conference very well. The question is are they willing to trade in drives to Chicagoland for drives to Lincoln and Storm Lake?

I have also heard that some members have thrown around the idea that they could try to lure an NAIA team to the D3 ranks. I haven't heard if any of these schools have expressed interest, however. Personally, I don't know much about most of the NAIA schools in the area, but I'm not sure why a school would go from offering scholarships to not offering scholarships. I know that Grandview/Northwestern (IA)/Morningside have been fairly dominant for a number of years, and I don't know that a move like this would benefit them all that much.

I also don't see a ton of value in adding another school to the conference in *ducks* another small town in the middle of Iowa. If the conference is going to expand, I believe they should look for a peer institution that also adds something of value to the league. Adding an Augustana/St. Ambrose would add a school in the Quad Cities, which is a large population center the whole league could then draw from easier. I could be convinced that a Briar Cliff in Sioux City/South Dakota, would provide a similar boost. I don't see much value in adding a Waldorf just to open up the potential in Forest City. I believe this is the thought process with thinking about the Northwestern (MN) proposal. I don't think that the ARC would immediately gain footholds in the cities, but the door would at least be cracked open.