New NCAA Basketball Calendar a Win
The transfer portal will now open after the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, giving way to some common sense.
In modern times, the power of the NCAA has dwindled. If you’ve heard any of my radio shows over the past few years, you’ve heard me harp on June 21, 2021. I truly believe that day will go down as one of the most significant in the history of college sports. It was the day everything changed — the day the U.S. Supreme Court issued its unanimous ruling in NCAA v. Alston, limiting the NCAA’s ability to restrict education-related benefits for student-athletes under antitrust law.
The court’s decision didn’t directly strike down all amateurism rules, and it didn’t grant student-athletes salaries the way professional players receive them. But it did confirm that the NCAA is not above the law and cannot enforce certain compensation restrictions that violate antitrust principles. That unanimous decision, in an era of deep political and judicial division, was remarkable.
That ruling helped weaken one of the NCAA’s cornerstone defenses: the rigid definition of amateurism that the organization used to justify almost all limits on player compensation.
The NCAA’s authority has continued to erode in the years since Alston, especially as name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation has transformed the economics of college sports. Even though the intention of the Alston ruling was narrow, focused on education-related benefits, the broader implication was unmistakable: courts will treat NCAA amateurism rules as subject to ordinary competition laws.
Although the NCAA no longer holds near-total control over the economic landscape of college athletics, it still has authority over scheduling and operational procedures. Today the association made a change that many of us have been calling for because it simply makes sense.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet voted Wednesday to revise the transfer portal window for men’s and women’s college basketball. Under the new rules, the portal will open for a 15-day period the day after the national championship game, rather than during the heart of the NCAA Tournament.
What a novel concept, right? Do something that just benefits the game, something that should have been common sense. In a world where greed and chaos often reign supreme, it’s refreshing to see a decision that actually helps student-athletes and programs stay focused on what matters most: winning while playing their best basketball.
By moving the portal to after the title game, teams still competing in March Madness can focus wholly on the task at hand. Coaches and players won’t have to juggle roster uncertainty while preparing scouting reports, drawing up game plans and competing for a championship.
Does this make sense? Yes. Finally, something in the world of college sports that adds up.
Now let’s talk about college football.
What has happened to that game this cycle is, frankly, disgusting. Everyone in charge should be ashamed. Multiple programs entered the postseason with coaches whose departures were already effectively decided, because of coaching hires and the transfer portal timeline, staffs were pulled in conflicting directions.
Lane Kiffin was given an ultimatum to stay or go and ultimately chose LSU right before the College Football Playoff in order to help solidify his roster. His staff at LSU included several assistants who had come with him from Ole Miss, creating logistical challenges as coaches shuttled between duties. Another semifinal participant faced similar issues.
Oregon’s coaching staff dealt with a similar distraction. Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and offensive coordinator Will Stein were pressed to balance playoff preparations with portal activity, and it showed, as the Ducks struggled offensively in their Peach Bowl loss.
College football is living in a world where common sense is a lost art. But, alas, college basketball and its new transfer portal calendar have provided a glimmer of hope.