UNRESTRICTED TRANSFER PORTAL - Is There an Answer to the Issue?

[SoGaDawg]

I think the unrestricted transfer portal is causing some unintended problems.  There are players that are now opting out or redshirting mid-season to prepare for the portal.  Who knows what goes on behind the scenes as teams actively attempt to acquire players from other teams?  It’s basically poaching, but teams have to be aggressive.  It can be great for the players, but it also has negative qualities being that it seems unrestricted.

 

What are y’all’s thoughts regarding this?  Is there a way to address the issues it brings by putting some sort of restrictions on the transfer portal?  Can we implement restrictions that are still fair to players, and if so what might they be?  Would restrictions even be legal, or would they be thrown out by a court?
 

It kinda seems like the wild wild west when looking at what the portal has become.  I’d like to hear the opinions of FishDuck members as I know there are many knowledgeable members on this forum.  Am I overreacting or do you folks see a problem as well?

Edited October 10 by Smith72
capitalize titles, too wordy

[OregonDucks]

I agree with you but, at this point, it seems like Congress is going to have to pass a bill on some of the issues plaguing college football.

 

One possible solution is that you let a player transfer one time, for any reason, without having to sit out and then they reinstate the rule that the player has to sit out a year the next time they want to transfer. You could waive the one year waiting period for the second transfer, if the player graduates from his prior school to encourage graduation.

 

To me, the bigger issue is the unlimited and highly secretive NIL deals. Teams should have salary caps. Eventually, if the players create a union, they may want to place limits on max. NIL earnings, especially for freshman (like the NFL does with rookie contracts). 

[The Kamikaze Kid]

Great topic. I think there are so many layers to the college sports riddle, we need to sit down and focus on what even is the elephant in the room. At some point I think college sports will need to be defined by congress. It seems to me that there are three levels of sports.

 

One: Recreational activities. This would include gymnastics, swimming  and wrestling. These are sports that are more about the athletic experience for the student rather than the fan experience. These sports don't come close to making money.

 

Two: Mid level Sports. These include track, baseball/ softball volleyball. These sports have fans and can generate some revenue but usually lose money for the school.

 

Three: Money makers. This would pretty much be football and basketball. generally either bring in money or at least break even. 

 

It seems to me that sports that generate revenue are more of a business and need to be treated as such. Congress should address this like it does with all other businesses and establish guidelines that balance the freedom players have to make their own life choices and the needs universities/ conferences have to keep the whole than functional. Without any clear guidelines, players have all the power. They can collect massive amounts of NIL without any requirement to even play a down because NIL isn't a check made out to a student by a university to play for them. 

 

I would defer to our great OBDF legal mind Jon J to explain what can and can't work but I'd think congress could help formalize the process of signing to participate in a college athletic program with stipulations that need to be met to receive the benefits of participation.  It seems to me that limiting transfers for scholarship athletes could be baked into contacts at the national level. I hope something is done soon on the national level to address this because as of now, there are just too many ways for players to game the system for their own benefit at the expense of the university that's just trying to field a team every year.

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

Thanks for the timely post on a day when the Power 2 Poohbahs are meeting in Nashville to decide the future of the sport. I see a continuing movement toward consolidation and professionalism. Roster management will return to CFB once the players can collectively bargain with 'management.' Management will consist of the leaders of the Super Conference. 

 

The 34 Power 2 football-playing members are as likely to decrease in number as it is to increase to form the Super Conference. Congress will provide NFL-like relief from litigation once a contract between the players and 'management' is in place. 

 

This week, the NCAA cut the time allowed to enter the 'football portal.' I expect this cut to be litigated soon. The cost of ending 'amateurism' is the inevitable move toward professionalism. The NFL could not exist without restraints on transfers and salary cap limits. 

 

Super Conference antitrust issues will be 'controlled' in part by a House settlement-like 'salary cap' that I believe will end up closer to $50M a year than the House @$20M a year. Only the biggest boys on the block will be able to ante-in. 

 

Stay tuned to what comes out of today's Power 2 gathering in Nashville.