Why was the portal touted as such a game changer? Is it simply because players are immediately eligible to play?

(02-17-2024 07:29 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Why was the portal touted as such a game changer? Is it simply because players are immediately eligible to play?

Yes, exactly. This is the "one-time transfer exception" to the general sit out one full academic year rule:

Quote:14.5.5.2.10 One-Time Transfer Exception. The student transfers to the certifying institution from another four year collegiate institution, and all the following conditions are met (for postgraduate students, see Bylaw 14.6.1):

(Revised: 1/16/93 effective 8/1/93, 1/11/94, 1/10/95, 1/9/96, 1/11/97, 11/1/00 effective 8/1/01, 4/26/01, 4/28/05 effective 8/1/05, 4/27/06 effective 10/15/06, 12/15/06, 4/27/07 effective 8/1/08, 4/29/10 effective 8/1/10, 4/22/11, 4/28/21 applicable to transfer student-athletes seeking eligibility during the 2021-22 academic year and thereafter, 8/31/22 Immediate; applicable to transfer student-athletes seeking eligibility during the 2023-24 academic year and thereafter.)

{a} The student has not transferred previously from one four-year institution unless, in the previous transfer, the student-athlete received an exception per Bylaw 14.5.5.2.6 (discontinued/nonsponsored sport exception);

{b} At the time of transfer to the certifying institution (see Bylaw 14.5.2), the student would have been academically eligible had the student remained at the institution from which the student transferred, except that the student is not required to have fulfilled the necessary percentage-of-degree requirements at the previous institution;

{c} The head coach of the certifying institution and the student shall certify that no athletics staff member or other representative of the institution’s athletics interest communicated or made contact with the student-athlete, or any individual associated with the student (e.g., family member, scholastic or nonscholastic coach, advisor), directly or indirectly, without first obtaining authorization through the notification of transfer process (see Bylaw 13.1.1.3);

and

{d} The student must have provided written notification of transfer to the institution during a period specified for the applicable sport in Bylaw 13.1.1.3.1.

When they created the one-time transfer exemption, they also specified the applicable period for making written notification of transfer on a sport by sport basis.

Of course, it seems like the rule is going to have to be shuffled around again by the time all of the relevant lawsuits have been decided or settled.

Yes. Players are immediately eligible.

Plus, they can be re-recruited once they give notice to their current program and enter the portal.

So, coaches are 1) still recruiting high school and junior college players, 2) recruiting transfers from other schools, and 3) re-recruiting their own players to keep them out of the portal.

It's very much a gamechanger.

Totally ridiculous

The portal was not the game changer. It just made the process easier.

It's the not having to sit out.

Pre-portal, the student-athlete's current school had to say okay to contact between student-athlete and other schools. They could sit on an outgoing student-athlete's request for some time.

The portal removes the ability for the current school to delay / deny contact.

(02-20-2024 07:46 AM)BeatNavy Wrote:  Pre-portal, the student-athlete's current school had to say okay to between student-athlete and other schools. They could sit on an outgoing student-athlete's request for some time.

The portal removes the ability for the current school to delay / deny contact.

Quite. The portal, in effect, enforces the ability to freely transfer one time without having to sit out by, for instance, preventing a school from sitting on a transfer request so long that the athlete cannot enroll in the new school in time to participate in spring practice. It's not separate from the ability to play without sitting out: it's part of a package deal.

(02-20-2024 08:21 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 07:46 AM)BeatNavy Wrote:  Pre-portal, the student-athlete's current school had to say okay to between student-athlete and other schools. They could sit on an outgoing student-athlete's request for some time.

The portal removes the ability for the current school to delay / deny contact.

Quite. The portal, in effect, enforces the ability to freely transfer one time without having to sit out by, for instance, preventing a school from sitting on a transfer request so long that the athlete cannot enroll in the new school in time to participate in spring practice. It's not separate from the ability to play without sitting out: it's part of a package deal.

The portal predates the transfer without sitting out rule. It was a tool to track transfers and to keep schools from dragging their feet about a student trying to transfer.

(02-20-2024 12:46 PM)inutech Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 08:21 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 07:46 AM)BeatNavy Wrote:  Pre-portal, the student-athlete's current school had to say okay to between student-athlete and other schools. They could sit on an outgoing student-athlete's request for some time.

The portal removes the ability for the current school to delay / deny contact.

Quite. The portal, in effect, enforces the ability to freely transfer one time without having to sit out by, for instance, preventing a school from sitting on a transfer request so long that the athlete cannot enroll in the new school in time to participate in spring practice. It's not separate from the ability to play without sitting out: it's part of a package deal.

The portal predates the transfer without sitting out rule. It was a tool to track transfers and to keep schools from dragging their feet about a student trying to transfer.

And clearly the single transfer without sitting out rule amplifies the importance of that tool.