How would you fix NIL/Portal if you ran the NCAA

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MNfootballfan

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Curious to see what your plans would be if you were in charge of the NCAA and how you would fix the entire NIL/Transfer Portal situation? For starters, I am not against the Transfer Portal. I think there are some major positives to it for the players. I think it sucks for fans and coaches. Part of the fun of being a fan is seeing players progress and getting to "know" them. I also think it makes it harder for coaches because it seems like you have to recruit your own team harder than those not on your team.

With that being said, giving kids a chance to move to a better situation for themselves is allowed. Lesser known players like JJ Gudet can move to a lower level team and have a much better chance to play. Higher profile players like Jalen Hurts may not be in the NFL right now without the portal. History has proved only a handful of backup quarterbacks get drafted into the NFL.

With that being said, here are two solutions I would possibly incorporate if given the opportunity.

Transfer Portal Solutions
1) Get rid of redshirting (medical redshirting allowed). Players are given 5 full years of eligibility. Anytime you transfer (end of semester/year) you are immediately eligible but it costs you a year of eligibility.
- or -
2) Players get free transfers after their second year and fourth year of college. Any other year they have to sit out a season. This gives coaches a chance to at least kind of plan who is going to be on their roster.

NIL Solutions
* I don't have any good solutions for players coming out of high school that would make sense.
1) Players are not eligible for NIL after a transfer. You can only earn NIL at your original school. I think this would eliminate buying players from other schools.
- or -
2) If a player transfers and receives NIL money the receiving school has to give the sending school the same amount of money. For example, if Bucky Irving received $1 million to go to Oregon. Oregon has to pay Bucky $1 million but also pay the U of M NIL Fund $1 million. Could be a way to create parity with schools that don't have as deep of funds for NIL. Think of what this would do for a school like New Hampshire with Max Brosmer?

Fun to think of some ideas... I am curious what creative ways you have thought about fixing it.
 

I would institute some form of revenue sharing. Both within a team and within the sport in general.

A RB is a high-profile member of the team and widely known. The players blocking for him are typically not so well known and unlikely to receive much NIL money. Often times, the running game is as much a factor of blocking as it is running. Same situation with a high profile QB.

I would try to figure out a way that a player retains 65% of their NIL money and 25% goes to their own teammates 20% is spread throughout their conference and the last 5% goes to the Group of 5 teams. The particular percentages aren't important - just the concept.
 

MNfootballfan said:
Curious to see what your plans would be if you were in charge of the NCAA and how you would fix the entire NIL/Transfer Portal situation? For starters, I am not against the Transfer Portal. I think there are some major positives to it for the players. I think it sucks for fans and coaches. Part of the fun of being a fan is seeing players progress and getting to "know" them. I also think it makes it harder for coaches because it seems like you have to recruit your own team harder than those not on your team.

With that being said, giving kids a chance to move to a better situation for themselves is allowed. Lesser known players like JJ Gudet can move to a lower level team and have a much better chance to play. Higher profile players like Jalen Hurts may not be in the NFL right now without the portal. History has proved only a handful of backup quarterbacks get drafted into the NFL.

With that being said, here are two solutions I would possibly incorporate if given the opportunity.

Transfer Portal Solutions
1) Get rid of redshirting (medical redshirting allowed). Players are given 5 full years of eligibility. Anytime you transfer (end of semester/year) you are immediately eligible but it costs you a year of eligibility.
- or -
2) Players get free transfers after their second year and fourth year of college. Any other year they have to sit out a season. This gives coaches a chance to at least kind of plan who is going to be on their roster.

NIL Solutions
* I don't have any good solutions for players coming out of high school that would make sense.
1) Players are not eligible for NIL after a transfer. You can only earn NIL at your original school. I think this would eliminate buying players from other schools.
- or -
2) If a player transfers and receives NIL money the receiving school has to give the sending school the same amount of money. For example, if Bucky Irving received $1 million to go to Oregon. Oregon has to pay Bucky $1 million but also pay the U of M NIL Fund $1 million. Could be a way to create parity with schools that don't have as deep of funds for NIL. Think of what this would do for a school like New Hampshire with Max Brosmer?

Fun to think of some ideas... I am curious what creative ways you have thought about fixing it.
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Again, schools don't pay the players, so your NIL solutions don't work.
 

PMWinSTP said:
Again, schools don't pay the players, so your NIL solutions don't work.
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I never said schools would pay the players. You can only earn NIL money at your original school. The minute you transfer you would forgo your opportunity to earn money. I did the say the U of M NIL Fund... meant Dinkytown Athletes or whatever specific organization is closely tied to that university.
 

NIL I wouldn't really change anything other than stop trying to distinguish between NIL, pay for play, collectives, etc. Just open the door and let people pay as they wish. If some crazy rich guy wants to pay a kid six or seven figures to play QB for his school, go for it.

Transfer rules I guess at a minimum let's go back to the old system. I'm open to ideas here but I'd like there to be some sort of incentive for commitment.
 


End the portal.

The NIL genie can’t be put back in the bottle without the NCAA going to war with numerous individual states. I think the will to fight died with Emmert burning out.

Given where the game has gone and is headed I’m getting more comfortable with the nuclear option (and a dagger for the schools) - media rights distributions to the players or entities representing players. That’s the big pot of gold flowing exclusively to conferences who toss it out to the schools. The players have more power than they realize to upset this apple cart. Plenty of legalities but if the players can force the issue, cut out the middleman to some extent - in this case the schools, that could help level the playing field. The schools avoid employment entanglements and so on. Devil is in the details.

Daydreaming.
 

Keep amateur sports amateur sports. If they don't want to be amateurs by making money directly or indirectly from their on field contributions they should start their own league.
 

I think the NIL is what it is and it will be difficult to change.

The portal is a different matter. I think we need to go back to the one-year sit-out if a player transfers from one P5 to another P5. No sit-out if a player transfers down or transfers up.
 
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No input on NIL. Beast of it's own.

Transfer issue returning to old rules has one snag for me. If a coach can break his contract and leave, I feel players he recruited should be given the opportunity to follow or transfer without penalty to some extent.
 



So_Money said:
Keep amateur sports amateur sports. If they don't want to be amateurs by making money directly or indirectly from their on field contributions they should start their own league.
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That train has legally left the station. They are amateur athletes who can monetize their NIL.
 

For NIL I would ban collectives and funds such as Dinkytown Athletics. I would make it so that only businesses approved by the NCAA can offer NIL deals for players and every NIL deal should be documented and be close to the actual value of the NIL. So for example, a national Wendy's ad is worth a lot (maybe like $500,000) whereas an appearance at a local diner should be less (like $1,000). The idea here is that players are still getting paid for their Name Image and Likeness and players like Caleb Williams are still able to get their value, but it stops boosters from directly paying players through NIL "donations".

EDIT: Dinkytown selling branded shirts and apparel would be ok as long as it is reasonably priced, but I would get rid of the donation aspect of it.
 

MNfootballfan said:
I never said schools would pay the players. You can only earn NIL money at your original school. The minute you transfer you would forgo your opportunity to earn money. I did the say the U of M NIL Fund... meant Dinkytown Athletes or whatever specific organization is closely tied to that university.
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So why would the schools (in your #2) have to pay each other?
 

PMWinSTP said:
So why would the schools (in your #2) have to pay each other?
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Hypothetically, If Nike paid Bucky $1 million to go to Oregon they would have to turn around and pay $1 million to a collective that supports the receiving school.

I have no idea how to enforce it but would at least indirectly help the team losing the player.
 



There’s nothing wrong with the Portal (capital P) itself.

That’s just a computer database. It’s a legit benefit to players, of all sports.


Can’t touch NIL for now, without federal legislation that then passes SCOTUS muster.


The true devil right now is the free movement of players with zero consequences.


Very minimal baby step that I would institute today: abolish the free transfer waiver for grads.

Nope. Absolutely zero sense in that and a free undergrad transfer.

You get one free transfer PERIOD in your entire academic career. Don’t care if you earned an undergrad degree.
 

MNfootballfan said:
I never said schools would pay the players. You can only earn NIL money at your original school. The minute you transfer you would forgo your opportunity to earn money. I did the say the U of M NIL Fund... meant Dinkytown Athletes or whatever specific organization is closely tied to that university.
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Preventing a US citizen from making money? I'm not a political science or government studies major but doesn't that go against our basic rights?
 

PMWinSTP said:
That train has legally left the station. They are amateur athletes who can monetize their NIL.
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It has not left the station entirely. The ruling only applies to the NCAA for one, not the schools individually or the conferences. Additionally the ruling deferred to the states the ability to impose their own rules and regulations on NIL money, meaning it isn't something that is protected legally speaking, just that the NCAA can't be the deciding factor. In short it is left to the states or the institutions. You could absolutely have a leauge contingent on amateurism should states, institutions or conferences agree on it and be compliant with the ruling. This might cause another court case but it is less likely to prevail.
 

MplsGopher said:
There’s nothing wrong with the Portal (capital P) itself.

That’s just a computer database. It’s a legit benefit to players, of all sports.


Can’t touch NIL for now, without federal legislation that then passes SCOTUS muster.


The true devil right now is the free movement of players with zero consequences.


Very minimal baby step that I would institute today: abolish the free transfer waiver for grads.

Nope. Absolutely zero sense in that and a free undergrad transfer.

You get one free transfer PERIOD in your entire academic career. Don’t care if you earned an undergrad degree.
Click to expand...
Maybe allow free transfers for the cost of a redshirt. So if you used a redshirt year then you don’t get a free transfer, exceptions for head coaching changes is fair.
 

This won’t be popular with the room, but in regard to the portal, I say everyone can transfer multiple times if you so wish, but you still have to sit out one year each and every time you transfer. That will pretty much limit everyone to one move. The only exception to not having to sit out a year would be if your head coach, or position coach, up and left. If they leave you and can work immediately, then you can leave and play immediately. Otherwise, you can transfer if you wish, but you must sit a year. No “family or medical issues” exclusions to sitting out the one year. It devolves into gray areas when you start waiving for some. If the medical issue is that important, transfer home and deal with that while you sit a year, and then play.

As for NIL, I don’t know. I hate it. The only way I see to fix is make them employees, come up with a revenue sharing model where they are paid by the schools and institute a salary cap and floor so that all the power schools are spending the same money on players. The cap and floors need to be relatively close so that Alabama can’t outspend Minnesota by $100M. Should be $20M difference between ceiling and floor. This puts the importance on coaching and evaluation of talent, not just being able to buy the best players.
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Preventing a US citizen from making money? I'm not a political science or government studies major but doesn't that go against our basic rights?
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I mean up until a few years ago college athletes weren't allowed to make money off their NIL. They can still receive a scholarship, etc.
 

I would get rid of all this non-sense and make it simple. Contracts.

Player signs a contract with the school and is paid by the school. You want to be paid like an adult then you get treated like every other adult athlete. Conferences or the NCAA can implement a salary cap. Or not. I don't really care about that part.

Contracts regulate the transfer portal. You've got a 2 year deal with USC? Sorry, you aren't transferring till your junior year. Contracts allow the program to be ambitious instead of relying on boosters to pay players for them. You will still have to regulate NIL in addition to this because the Supreme Court said so, but allowing schools to write their own checks levels the playing field a bit.

I would also start a transfer market and allow schools to "sell" their superstars that are under contract to helmet schools. This "sale" would obviously be contingent on the player agreeing to contract terms with the new school.

At the end of the day, stop operating under the guise of amateurism. Because it's killing the sport.
 
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MNfootballfan said:
I mean up until a few years ago college athletes weren't allowed to make money off their NIL. They can still receive a scholarship, etc.
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Right. Those are the olden days. These aren't the olden days anymore.
 


Also yes agree fully, the only way you solve NIL now is the way the NFL does: you make it irrelevant

There is NIL in the NFL. Superstars make serious bucks doing actual endorsements. State Farm Mahomes, etc.

Lower guys can probably still make a buck here and there too.

But nobody talks about. Nobody cares. All that matters is …. salaries!


That’s what it will have to be in college. That’s the only way.
 

StudentSectionMenace said:
For NIL I would ban collectives and funds such as Dinkytown Athletics. I would make it so that only businesses approved by the NCAA can offer NIL deals for players and every NIL deal should be documented and be close to the actual value of the NIL. So for example, a national Wendy's ad is worth a lot (maybe like $500,000) whereas an appearance at a local diner should be less (like $1,000). The idea here is that players are still getting paid for their Name Image and Likeness and players like Caleb Williams are still able to get their value, but it stops boosters from directly paying players through NIL "donations".

EDIT: Dinkytown selling branded shirts and apparel would be ok as long as it is reasonably priced, but I would get rid of the donation aspect of it.
Click to expand...
Yes, this is along the lines of how NIL needs to be regulated. The free-for-all right now is BS.
 

1) Any players transferring sits out a full year. No exceptions. No appeals. Not even an exception for a coach leaving. You can leave too if you want, but you must sit out a year.

2) transfer years don’t count towards eligibility in any way. Time stops. If you transfer 7 times you could end up playing your 4th year of eligibility in your 11th year out of college. We don’t care. It doesn’t even burn a redshirt.

3) roster limits are 85.
If you are not on the official 85, it doesn’t count as your sit out year. So to take a transfer, a school has to designate one of their 85 spots for that player. You can have 85 guys dressed for practice. You can have 85 dressed for games. The 85 people are declared on day 1 of practice.
 

I agree that athletes or any person attending a University should be able to shop themselves for money to endorse a business. I think Universities should have zero involvement in that venture. NIL has morphed into pay to play. If somebody wants to give a player/student money to attend a school, it should be solicited by the player/student. Boosters hiring athletes to watch automatic sprinklers in the summer has been a thing for decades. Schools should be nowhere near NIL or sponsor it. NIL will boil over and I am not sure the end result of that will be a positive result.
 

Anyone against the portal is a moron. Its existed forever. It just has a new name and is more talked about. Players always have transferred.
 

in the real world, any changes to the system would have to stand up to a court test.

so, my idea - understanding that it would have to hold up in court

--strong federal legislation regulating NIL. impose standards on 'pay for play' NIL where all deals are legally binding contracts and must be value-based. if Player X is receiving $100,000 in NIL, then that player must provide $100,000 worth of services/advertising in return.

--leave the portal the way it is - BUT - impose tampering penalties. If School X offers Joe Stud $500,000 to transfer, that is tampering and - if proven - School X loses TV money/loss of scholarships/post-season ban. If players cannot jump from school to school in search of a higher payday, then the portal becomes what it was intended to be - an avenue for players to find a better situation if they have come to regret their initial choice of school. AND one free transfer only. If you change schools a 2nd time, you sit out a year. No waivers.

--how to enforce it. NCAA gets a % of TV money for a beefed-up enforcement division.
 

MplsGopher said:
Also yes agree fully, the only way you solve NIL now is the way the NFL does: you make it irrelevant

There is NIL in the NFL. Superstars make serious bucks doing actual endorsements. State Farm Mahomes, etc.

Lower guys can probably still make a buck here and there too.

But nobody talks about. Nobody cares. All that matters is …. salaries!


That’s what it will have to be in college. That’s the only way.
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Thanks for setting us all straight on this. 🙄
 

I'd make the portal like the NFL draft. Take all the players in the portal and the worse team in the FBS gets the first pick of the portal and so on and so forth.

Yes, I know that will never happen.
 

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