By Sylvester “Nunnie” Robinson
I wanted to follow up on my position and comments related to the Transfer Portal sans my personal opinion. The NCAA transfer portal (a NCAA application , database and compliance tool ) was instituted in October of 2018 to manage and facilitate the process for student athletes to place their names in an online database declaring their intent or desire to transfer between member institution. The transfer portal permits student athletes to place their name in an online database declaring their desire or intent to transfer. Athletes enter the portal by informing their current school of their desire to transfer; the school then has two business days to enter the athlete’s name in the database. Once an athlete’s name is entered in the database, coaches and staff from other schools are permitted to make contact with the athlete to inquire about their interest in visiting the campus and accepting a scholarship. The transfer portal is intended to bring greater transparency to the transfer process and to enable student athletes to publicize their desire to transfer. The transfer portal is an NCAA-wide database, covering transfers in all three NCAA divisions, although most media coverage of the transfer portal involves its use in the top-level Division I. Source Wikipedia.
The last statement is revealing because it makes clear which athletes benefit the most: Division I or FBS aka football bowl subdivision athletes. Remember in the past coaches could leave a school void of any restrictions or punishment. Not the case with student athletes, making the process extremely unfair. I wonder if the NCAA thoroughly vetted the ramifications of this policy. The balloon has burst so there is no telling just how widespread and detrimental this may become. Student athletes certainly deserve a share of the revenue derived from their efforts just as member schools do. But how much is enough or too much? Only time will tell.
