Let's have an honest discussion on NIL and the portal

[Matt Dossett]

Figured I would get a discussion fired up. What are your overall thoughts on name/image/likeness and the portal as a whole?

I think there are different schools of thought, especially with the portal....

You could argue that coaches can willy nilly go and come as they please, so why not the athletes?

I think that guard rails need to be put in place. I personally believe that a guy SHOULD be able to explore greener pastures ONE TIME WITH A PASS. After that idk. Just don't like the free agency feel with guys changing schools each season.

Switching gears, what do you think about NIL? Do you agree as is? Love it? Hate it? Should there be cap? No cap?

 

[MT Glenn]

For starters, we should stop calling it NIL and call it what it really is: a salary. I personally hate it that the teams with the highest salaries have made it impossible for the smaller programs to keep up.

I like the transfer portal but there should be a limit to how often someone can transfer.

 

[Matt Dossett]

For starters, we should stop calling it NIL and call it what it really is: a salary. I personally hate it that the teams with the highest salaries have made it impossible for the smaller programs to keep up.

I like the transfer portal but there should be a limit to how often someone can transfer.

Agreed. I say one transfer. I could meet you halfway and say sit out a year after that

 

[MidTennMtneer]

None of us have any issue with true NIL. There is zero reason Vatiatto can't do a commercial for The Boulevard. Blocking that has always been stupid.
Revenue sharing is ridiculous, but, I get why the athletes are going after it. The NCAA should've fixed this mess a decade ago. Now it is too late.

I truly feel there should be a CBA to protect the schools (buyouts for transfers), and the players (no shady "NIL" deals). There should be limitations. I have issues with them getting paid AND getting a scholarship, but that won't change.
There also should be a salary minimum and cap. Just like the NFL. The spending has to be reigned in.

A CBA would also help with transfers. I have zero issues with grad transfers. But I think there should be a choice. Either you get a scholarship and can only have one transfer, or you pay your own way and can have unlimited transfers.

All this could still change as the judge yesterday wasn't happy with a few things and mentioned specifically the NCAA is an opt-in organization. Just more ammo for a split off.

 

[sWiley]

It doesn't matter what any of us think or want. It is 100% controlled by the courts and they have spoken. These kids can do whatever the hell they please.

 

[MTTim]

1. I dont support NIL. I do agree a student athlete should be paid a small amount per month, in addition to a scholarship, to help cover expenses. This amount should be capped and the same for all D1 universities.
2. Limit of one transfer without sitting out a year.
3. Coaches are employed by the university and have their own set of guidelines to live by. Student athletes cannot be compared to coach/staff positions. Coaches should be able to leave as long as they abide by their contract.

I'm like Wiley. I pay more attention to the pros now because college athletics is so screwed up. At this rate, in two years I'll have zero interest in anything college related. Sad.

 

[DisgruntledAlum]

I'm getting to the point that I don't care anymore. The administration doesn't care, the landscape is a mess, what is the point?

 

[ewglenn]

If I were in charge and had complete control I would make the transfer limited to 1 free transfer and after that you have to sit for a year. Unless the athlete is a graduate transfer then they are allowed another free transfer.

For NIL, I would make them contractual. If the player leaves early or has academic or eligibility issues they are required to pay back a prorated amount. Put clauses into those contracts that if a school signs a player to a bigger NIL deal they must pay the prior school a 10% transfer fee. That money could be used by the prior school for their NIL funds. For example, if Bama took an MTSU player and paid him 1 million per year for 3 years then MTSU would be paid 100k for 3 years.

 

[DisgruntledAlum]

I'd like to think that at some point, schools and boosters are going to get tired of paying some of these kids that end up being a giant bust on and off the field and get some sense of paying them for their productivity on the field. Maybe toss in incentives for graduating and staying out of trouble. Or, if they get in trouble or become academic ineligible, there is a fine for them.

I doubt something like that will happen before my field of F's is empty or I am dead, and I'm only 52.

 

[Matt Dossett]

It doesn't matter what any of us think or want. It is 100% controlled by the courts and they have spoken. These kids can do whatever the hell they please.

I guess you could say whatever is on here "doesn't matter." I created this for sake of discussion...

 

[DisgruntledAlum]

I guess you could say whatever is on here "doesn't matter." I created this for sake of discussion...

Everyone is frustrated... Why doesn't our school have the same values of excellence that they claim to instill in all of us?

 

[RaiderDoug]

If I were in charge and had complete control I would make the transfer limited to 1 free transfer and after that you have to sit for a year. Unless the athlete is a graduate transfer then they are allowed another free transfer.

For NIL, I would make them contractual. If the player leaves early or has academic or eligibility issues they are required to pay back a prorated amount. Put clauses into those contracts that if a school signs a player to a bigger NIL deal they must pay the prior school a 10% transfer fee. That money could be used by the prior school for their NIL funds. For example, if Bama took an MTSU player and paid him 1 million per year for 3 years then MTSU would be paid 100k for 3 years.

I agree with both of these. The 1-time transfer thing is never going to happen though.

I've no issue with NIL.. I always thought it was dumb that a player couldn't stump for the local burger joint or sell some of his stuff on Ebay.

I do think we need some contractually binding NIL deals to prevent the insanity that's happening.

I'd eventually like to see somewhat of a soccer model. If MT signs a kid to say, a 3 year NIL deal, but he blows up after 1 year and wants to go play at Alabama, that's fine - but Alabama (or the kid) has to buy out the remaining 2 years of the NIL contract. Everyone wins - the kid gets to move up and get bigger NIL money from Bama, Bama gets a player they want, and MT would get to reinvest that $$$$'s in other players or such. And if a player is determined to leave, that's fine - he can go anytime he wants, but MT retains the NIL rights, so that's at least provides some pause to the every player a free agent every year chaos.

I think this will eventually happen - this transfer portal nonsense is burning even the big boys - even UT had to scramble a bit to keep their QB and WR this year who essentially threatened to walk if they didn't renegotiate. At some point, schools are going to protect themselves.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

It was announced this week that JT Toppin is staying at TX Tech and not heading to NBA. Why? A $4m deal.
That freshman at BYU, $5m.
The Big East is excited because they will be pouring the same $20m into rev sharing as the SEC, but where the SEC only has around $8m for a MBB roster, the Big East can have $12-14m.

That isn't sustainable with zero protection for those who give all that money. Eventually the donors will say enough is enough.

 

[AustinLewis]

Figured I would get a discussion fired up. What are your overall thoughts on name/image/likeness and the portal as a whole?

I think there are different schools of thought, especially with the portal....

You could argue that coaches can willy nilly go and come as they please, so why not the athletes?

I think that guard rails need to be put in place. I personally believe that a guy SHOULD be able to explore greener pastures ONE TIME WITH A PASS. After that idk. Just don't like the free agency feel with guys changing schools each season.

Switching gears, what do you think about NIL? Do you agree as is? Love it? Hate it? Should there be cap? No cap?

Coaches have contracts. In football coaches, position coaches usually have 1 year deals and coordinators usually have 3 year deals. HC are usually somewhere between 4-6 years. They also have buyouts.

I'm ok with the portal & NIL, but it's the Wild West right now. Tampering abounds. Handshake deals.

At some point, you'll need to do 1, 2, 3, and 4 year deals with buyouts unless :
1) Coaching change
2) Graduation

I can also see a transfer fee (like pro soccer).

 

[DisgruntledAlum]

I don't mind a kid making commercials and such, but demanding millions when not played a snap yet is ridiculous.

I think there should be a cap based on years of experience. Give 1- & 2-year guys like a rookie contract. Remember when NFL rookies were making more than established veterans and then they revolted, and rookie deals began?

Everyone is too eager to sue as well. The guy from Villanova suing now because he was not allowed to profit from NIL, and his last year was like 2016 or so. I keep hoping a court will say the rules back then were the rules, case dismissed.

 

[DisgruntledAlum]

Just a matter of time before a coach tells a kid to hit the road because he sucks and isn't worth NIL money and they feel it can be utilized better on a different player.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see players changing teams in mid-season in next 20 years.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Just a matter of time before a coach tells a kid to hit the road because he sucks and isn't worth NIL money and they feel it can be utilized better on a different player.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see players changing teams in mid-season in next 20 years.

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Best for the "student athlete" my foot. I don't care what they say, they are contracted employees. In ANY other line of work that is exactly what they would be.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

🤣

 

[RaiderDoug]

Just a matter of time before a coach tells a kid to hit the road because he sucks and isn't worth NIL money and they feel it can be utilized better on a different player.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see players changing teams in mid-season in next 20 years.

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They should, but there's a lot of moving parts.

NIL is funded by boosters and fans, but if you give, give, give...and your favorite player walks anyway, how much more are you going to give?

And ultimately, coaches are paid to win, fans only pay if you win - so if coach/program tells a mercenary player to hit the skids, then he better have a backup plan.

Another thought, NIL is name/image/likeness - but if X player is so unlikeable due to all the hostage holding, how much is NIL really worth. Is it even NIL at that point? Was it ever?

Tennessee is a a test case for a-lot of what's happening. About a month ago, they just had a corner "reopen" his NIL negotiations because the opposite corner popped his knee and he saw that he had more leverage. They just renegotiated in January a new NIL deal with this same QB and now he wants more (and he hasn't been really good on the field anyway). The contract is literally worth nothing from a binding standpoint, and can be re-opened every day in theory.

 

[DisgruntledAlum]

They should, but there's a lot of moving parts.

NIL is funded by boosters and fans, but if you give, give, give...and your favorite player walks anyway, how much more are you going to give?

And ultimately, coaches are paid to win, fans only pay if you win - so if coach/program tells a mercenary player to hit the skids, then he better have a backup plan.

Another thought, NIL is name/image/likeness - but if X player is so unlikeable due to all the hostage holding, how much is NIL really worth. Is it even NIL at that point? Was it ever?

Tennessee is a a test case for a-lot of what's happening. About a month ago, they just had a corner "reopen" his NIL negotiations because the opposite corner popped his knee and he saw that he had more leverage. They just renegotiated in January a new NIL deal with this same QB and now he wants more (and he hasn't been really good on the field anyway). The contract is literally worth nothing from a binding standpoint, and can be re-opened every day in theory.

I didn't realize they just renegotiated with the QB in January... That's crazy...

 

[FranklinRaider315]

Haggerty is now shopping the portal/ NIL he got from Memphis last season and rumored to be jumping for a price of up to $3MM. This is completely out of control.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I mean.....really?! Why even do scholarships at this point.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Just a matter of time before a coach tells a kid to hit the road because he sucks and isn't worth NIL money and they feel it can be utilized better on a different player.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see players changing teams in mid-season in next 20 years.

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I can't believe I'm saying this regarding UT, but kudos to them not backing down and shipping Nico off.

I'd like to say this will be an impetus for change, but not holding my breath.