Transfer portal and NIL’s effects on mid-majors

[The Professor]

No one seems to be commenting too much about the effects the transfer portal and NIL have had on mid-major universities in sports but in my opinion it has pretty much destroyed their chances of building sports programs with any kind of continuity like they have in the past. All of us can think of stars from the past that excelled at mid-majors and stayed through their senior season in football and basketball. But that has changed. Morehead State two years ago lost a very good 6’10 player to Auburn is just one of many examples. Players all over the nation are jumping from the mid-majors to the power conference schools. 
As Bob Dylan’s song says, “The times they are a-changing”, and for the mid-majors it’s not a good change in my opinion.

[The Professor]

Personally I don’t think the NCAA will allow the transfer portal and NIL to stay exactly like it is now. I believe they will sometime in the near future pass a rule that will limit the number of times a player can enter the portal to one.
As for the NIL I don’t know how they will address that issue. I’m not too familiar with it but do schools and players have limits or caps to how much can be spent or earned? If not it will become like MLB where the big market franchises with money dominate the sport in most years. 

[Oldercoach]

Agree with you professor.  The question that comes to my mind in allocating limited resources (if indeed NIL does have a limit from sources) how most effectively do these funds get distributed?  In the NFL we have the QB on top and RB on the bottom of team resource allocation.  In college basketball does the one-and-done become a less valuable investment to the experienced upperclassmen looking to get in a more favorable (NIL, playing time, etc) position.  Obviously, there will be a vast amount of individual/team variables to consider; but, having seen this play out over several years it just seems the one-and-done emphasis will universally be replaced by a concentration of resources toward portal transfers.

[mcpapa]

It isn’t just twenty bucks a pop to sign a stack of 8X10s, that’s for sure. 

[mcpapa]

18 hours ago, The Professor said:

No one seems to be commenting too much about the effects the transfer portal and NIL have had on mid-major universities in sports but in my opinion it has pretty much destroyed their chances of building sports programs with any kind of continuity like they have in the past. All of us can think of stars from the past that excelled at mid-majors and stayed through their senior season in football and basketball. But that has changed. Morehead State two years ago lost a very good 6’10 player to Auburn is just one of many examples. Players all over the nation are jumping from the mid-majors to the power conference schools. 
As Bob Dylan’s song says, “The times they are a-changing”, and for the mid-majors it’s not a good change in my opinion.

Agree with much of what you say.  The very best of the Moreheads and Daytons of the world are all gonna be cherry-picked.  Every one of them.  

[REALSPORT]

I realize that this is very frustrating for fans.  Players coming and going makes for little continuity.  It also has to be difficult and frustrating for coaches.  Not only do they have to recruit new players they have to continue to recruit their own.  The reason I am ok with it is what it means to the players.  Yes, mid-majors will lose players who perform, but what a great opportunity for those players.  To go from the Horizon league to the SEC would validate all their hard work and allow them to showcase their talent to a bigger audience.  Tweaks need to be made but I support what it does for the athletes.

[Oldercoach]

Retired legend Roy Williams was quoted Tuesday saying what a sad state college sports now finds itself.  Don’t recall his offering solutions, only opining that NIL and transfer portal were two much change to absorb at the same time.

[Voice of Reason]

The mid majors are all just minor league proving grounds now.

[9068]

On 5/9/2024 at 9:18 AM, REALSPORT said:

I realize that this is very frustrating for fans.  Players coming and going makes for little continuity.  It also has to be difficult and frustrating for coaches.  Not only do they have to recruit new players they have to continue to recruit their own.  The reason I am ok with it is what it means to the players.  Yes, mid-majors will lose players who perform, but what a great opportunity for those players.  To go from the Horizon league to the SEC would validate all their hard work and allow them to showcase their talent to a bigger audience.  Tweaks need to be made but I support what it does for the athletes.

All it does is allow for NIL money. Perhaps they can go somewhere and showcase their talent, but bottom line it's about $$$$s.

[nikeman49]

Very, very sad time for college athletics, for those who have money, great!! For those average schools that struggle with NIL funding, just suffer!! Never, ever thought that this would be the case with amateur athletics.

[theguru]

On 5/9/2024 at 9:18 AM, REALSPORT said:

I realize that this is very frustrating for fans.  Players coming and going makes for little continuity.  It also has to be difficult and frustrating for coaches.  Not only do they have to recruit new players they have to continue to recruit their own.  The reason I am ok with it is what it means to the players.  Yes, mid-majors will lose players who perform, but what a great opportunity for those players.  To go from the Horizon league to the SEC would validate all their hard work and allow them to showcase their talent to a bigger audience.  Tweaks need to be made but I support what it does for the athletes.

This is exactly where I am at because of what it does for the players. 

[Jumper_Dad]

I'd like to see the following changes made to the current transfer rules.

1) Every player gets a free transfer with no sit out period giving them immediate eligibility, if they have spent two full seasons at school.

2) Players may receive a free transfer at any time if their head coach leaves the school for any reason.

3) Other than #1 and #2 above, all other transfers will have to sit out a full season before being eligible to play for their new school.

Addition of rule 3 would hopefully temper the current madness of the transfer portal each year.

[Voice of Reason]

58 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

I'd like to see the following changes made to the current transfer rules.

1) Every player gets a free transfer with no sit out period giving them immediate eligibility, if they have spent two full seasons at school.

2) Players may receive a free transfer at any time if their head coach leaves the school for any reason.

3) Other than #1 and #2 above, all other transfers will have to sit out a full season before being eligible to play for their new school.

Addition of rule 3 would hopefully temper the current madness of the transfer portal each year.

Not going to happen. I believe the courts will shoot it down.

[Jumper_Dad]

3 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

Not going to happen. I believe the courts will shoot it down.

Have the courts ruled on players being able to transfer and be immediately eligible before? I'm not sure what grounds they would shoot it down.

[Oldercoach]

With all the movement, is there any such thing as academic eligibility to compete anymore?  Are we transitioning (with the unionization of players and potential employee status) to where academics has no place in big time basketball?