Blanchard Valley Conference commissioner talks why league is exploring expansion

TOLEDO, Ohio — Conference and league realignment throughout Northwest Ohio appears to be giving the NCAA a run for its money. 

Over the past school year, we’ve seen a multitude of changes when it comes to area programs changing allegiances. The Blanchard Valley Conference is offering up the latest domino.

On Monday, commissioner Bruce Bame sent out a letter to schools offering interest to join as a member.

“We have great education in our league and great coaches for small schools,” Bame said. “We’ve got great balance throughout the surrounding area.”

The focal point for reaching out now revolves around football. As it currently stands, the BVC consists of 10 members on the gridiron, but Liberty-Benton High School is leaving for the Northern Lakes League in the 2026-27 school year. Vanlue marks the 11th conference member but is not affiliated for football.

Nine teams create a challenge for scheduling, according to Bame.

“Each school would have a bye starting in week two through week 10, making it difficult to find a non-league game in that span,” Bame said. “To make an even number would be fantastic.”

The move to go public with possible expansion serves as a feeling-out process. On Wednesday alone, Bame received two separate calls referencing interest in joining the Blanchard Valley Conference, although he didn’t specify who.

“We did put an April 22 deadline in there. We have our governing board meeting at the end of the month after that,” Bame said. “We’re going to see what we’ve gathered and who shows interest, break it down from there and move forward. As far as athletics directors with their scheduling, the sooner the better.”

Prior to Liberty-Benton’s decision to leave after growing into BVC’s largest institution, Cory-Rawson and North Baltimore marked the most recent programs to choose a different home in 2023-24. On the flip side, Elmwood joined on during that same time.

As for other notable changes locally regarding movement:

• Northern Ten Conference adding six schools: Calvert, Old Fort, Willard, Lucas, New Riegel and Hopewell-Loudon for the 2026-27 school year
• Ottawa Hills moving to Sandusky Bay Conference beginning in 2026-27
• Whiteford and Erie Mason joining the Toledo Area Athletic Conference as football-only members starting this fall

“There’s quite a bit of shuffling throughout Northwest Ohio right now, so we’re in the early stages of seeing what’s out there,” Bame said. “Extremely happy to take on the position because sports is my life and it’s what I love to do.”

Bame is coming up on his first full year as the Blanchard Valley Conference commissioner. On top of the role, he also serves as a basketball and football official. He earned an OHSAA distinction as the 2023-24 official of the year for his work on the gridiron.

Time will tell, if and when, the next domino to realignment will fall. For now, here’s a look at what the 2026 BVC football schedule would look like:

• McComb at Leipsic
• Pandora-Gilboa at Elmwood
• Arlington at Van Buren
• Ada at Arcadia
• Riverdale on bye

• Leipsic at Riverdale
• McComb at Elmwood
• Pandora-Gilboa at Van Buren
• Arlington at Ada
• Arcadia on bye

• Van Buren at Ada
• Riverdale at Pandora-Gilboa
• Arlington at Leipsic
• Arcadia at Elmwood
• McComb on bye

• Pandora-Gilboa at Leipsic
• Arlington at Elmwood
• Van Buren at Arcadia
• Riverdale at McComb
• Ada on bye

• McComb at Arlington
• Ada at Leipsic
• Elmwood at Van Buren
• Riverdale at Arcadia
• Pandora-Gilboa on bye

• Leipsic at Arcadia
• Elmwood at Ada
• Riverdale at Arlington
• Pandora-Gilboa at McComb
• Van Buren on bye

• McComb at Ada
• Elmwood at Leipsic
• Van Buren at Riverdale
• Arcadia at Pandora-Gilboa
• Arlington on bye

• Leipsic at Van Buren
• Arlington at Pandora-Gilboa
• Arcadia at McComb
• Ada at Riverdale
• Elmwood on bye

• Arcadia at Arlington
• Elmwood at Riverdale
• Van Buren at McComb
• Ada at Pandora-Gilboa
• Leipsic on bye

The full letter sent out by the Blanchard Valley Conference on Monday:

The Blanchard Valley Conference is pleased to announce a significant development within our conference of schools starting the 26-27 school year. In alignment with our strategic goals to enhance competitive play and strengthen community relationships, we are exploring opportunities to expand our league from 9 football schools to 10, and Vanlue making it 11 in all other sports while replacing Liberty-Benton. This expansion presents a valuable opportunity for growth and collaboration, and we invite your institution to explore the potential benefits of joining our conference.

BVC League Expansion Initiative

The purpose of this initiative is to engage with schools that may be interested in becoming part of our expanded league. We believe your institution could contribute significantly to our conference and benefit from the opportunities this expansion affords.

Key Benefits of Joining the BVC

• Enhanced Competitive Environment: Membership in the BVC will place your institution within a dynamic and competitive framework, fostering athletic excellence and providing your student-athletes with diverse and challenging opponents.
• Strengthened Community Engagement: The BVC values robust community connections and local support. Joining our conference will integrate your school into a network that emphasizes school spirit and regional pride, offering meaningful interactions with neighboring institutions.
  
• Access to Resources and Collaboration. As a member of the BVC, your school will gain access to a range of resources, including networking opportunities with other member schools, the exchange of best practices, and participation in collaborative initiatives designed to enhance overall athletic programs.
  

We invite you to consider the advantages of joining our expanded conference. To explore this opportunity further, please contact me at the information listed below with a formal letter expressing your interest in possibly joining our conference by April 22, 2025. Once we reach the deadline of April 22, we intend to reach out to interested schools to discuss scheduling informational meetings before delivering formal invitations to join the conference. The Blanchard Valley Conference is poised for a promising future, and we are excited about the prospect of including new schools in our league. This expansion is a pivotal moment for our conference, and we are confident it will bring substantial benefits to all participating institutions.

Thank you for considering this opportunity. We look forward to the possibility of collaborating to advance the goals of high school athletics.

Blanchard Valley Conference

Email:  bbameftballzebra@aim.com