COVID and NIL Creating Some Uncertainty for the GLVC

The 2021-22 season is approaching ever closer for the Great Lakes Valley Conference and its member schools. However, the landscape of college athletics has shifted dramatically in recent months. Last year’s GLVC sports seasons were shaken up due to COVID-19, with fans unable to attend basketball games and the football was reduced to an abbreviated schedule in the spring. GLVC Commissioner Jim Naumovich said COVID-19 is still causing plenty of uncertainty heading into the 2021-22 season.

Despite the abbreviated seasons and lack of fans, the GLVC did crown conference champions in 22 of their 24 sports last season. One other topic that has created uncertainty in college sports recently is the name, image, likeness policy (NIL). Naumovich said they’re still in the early stages of figuring out what kind of impact this will have within the conference.

The ability for college athletes to profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness took effect at the beginning of July. Truman State University’s fall sports schedule begins September 2nd when the women’s and men’s cross country teams host GLVC rival Lindenwood.