The Portal, good or bad?

[Cuango]

As I watch the depressing, commercialized free for all that Women’s Basketball has become, I can’t help but wonder where the game will be five to fifteen years from now. While “parity” has been given a lot of lip service over the past fifteen to twenty years, the game is still largely made up of the haves and the have nots. To be fair, the number of “haves” has increased to some degree but the vast majority of teams still reside firmly in the “have nots” neighborhood!

When the portal idea came along, many hailed it as a giant step toward finally achieving (or at least boosting) more parity in the game! Unfortunately for those (imo) misguided optimists, NIL came along with it and now parity seems further away than ever. It seems to me that the portal and NIL have basically nuked the (imo) naive dreams of parity by consolidating a permanent upper class made up of a group of schools with either vastly superior (and wealthy) NIL programs and a very select few schools whose pedigrees can attract kids without the added incentive of huge NIL endowments.

It seems like the college game is now a giant “free agent” bidding war and we are seeing more and more “super teams” a la LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh; (“not three, not four, not five….“). My question is; how long before (probably already happening) coaches or more likely, go- betweens start contacting players who have no intention of transferring and offering them large amounts of money to change teams? Anyway, it seems to me that right at a time when the game has exploded with popularity, it has simultaneously sowed the seeds of it’s own potential destruction! I don’t mean to be a downer especially a a time when our Huskies look to be gearing up for another dominant run, but I do find it difficult to be optimistic in terms of where the game is headed. Thoughts?

 

[stamfordhusky]

I 100% share your pessimism. The NIL bribery by boosters is going to create a situation of more and more inequality, and ultimately, I think TV ratings will plummet as more more people, like myself, begin to lose interest in college sports.

 

[LuvBball]

I love it. I hope every kid putting their body on the line to entertain us when they should be partying and worrying about grades becomes a millionaire and never has to worry about money again.

And I'm glad that players have the freedom to go where they're wanted, celebrated, and compensated instead of getting stuck in crappy situations that everyone else can leave willy nilly except the player

 

[omshanti]

As I watch the depressing, commercialized free for all that Women’s Basketball has become, I can’t help but wonder where the game will be five to fifteen years from now. While “parity” has been given a lot of lip service over the past fifteen to twenty years, the game is still largely made up of the haves and the have nots. To be fair, the number of “haves” has increased to some degree but the vast majority of teams still reside firmly in the “have nots” neighborhood!

When the portal idea came along, many hailed it as a giant step toward finally achieving (or at least boosting) more parity in the game! Unfortunately for those (imo) misguided optimists, NIL came along with it and now parity seems further away than ever. It seems to me that the portal and NIL have basically nuked the (imo) naive dreams of parity by consolidating a permanent upper class made up of a group of schools with either vastly superior (and wealthy) NIL programs and a very select few schools whose pedigrees can attract kids without the added incentive of huge NIL endowments.

It seems like the college game is now a giant “free agent” bidding war and we are seeing more and more “super teams” a la LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh; (“not three, not four, not five….“). My question is; how long before (probably already happening) coaches or more likely, go- betweens start contacting players who have no intention of transferring and offering them large amounts of money to change teams? Anyway, it seems to me that right at a time when the game has exploded with popularity, it has simultaneously sowed the seeds of it’s own potential destruction! I don’t mean to be a downer especially a a time when our Huskies look to be gearing up for another dominant run, but I do find it difficult to be optimistic in terms of where the game is headed. Thoughts?

I totally agree with your sentiments. unfortunately the women’s game is turning into the ugly version of a beautiful game. While people extol the parity and ‘equality’ of the women’s game, the money is allowing nil and wealthy donors to change the game. Giving college players money via nil is great, or is it? All things being equal are not in fact equal.

the transfer portal is now a transactional portal. Perhaps Geno and Jeff Waltz are correct. The number of players transferring yearly are absurd. Sometimes a student makes a mistake and transfers. The transfer portal has now become a free agency venue. Who does it actually benefit? Four schools in four years is not a student’s benefit. Money doesn’t solve all of the problems either.

you know the old saying, be careful what you wish for. Well women’s basketball is here…

 

[CB360]

The portal should be more restrictive in that Players should be made to stay 2 years minimum before entering the portal. You make a commitment and should be made to honor at least half of the time. Just because a player is unhappy about playing time should mean they shouldn't be able to leave. Also, 1 transfer only per kid, Medical or Family issues for a kid could be looked at separately and an exception could be made by the governing power and School Administration within a timely period.

 

[Bone Dog]

Mixed feelings here. I think the effect of the portal is slightly exaggerated by the Covid extension and may recede a little bit starting next year. But the tandem of easier transferring and NIL money is having an impact.

At the same time, I think we are seeing more high school girls developing serious skills across the country and this is driving parity. I'm not sure when this started, and it may have been concealed for a while by the inefficiency of the transfer system. That is, talented kids may have been mired in programs that weren't able to give them the best opportunity. To the extent the new portal rectifies those inefficiencies, I'm all for it.

I also think the quality of coaching has improved across the country, and this may be an effect of the WNBA. There are more and more sophisticated coaches, which means more good options for high school kids to choose from. An inhibiting factor maybe that not all schools support WBB coaches adequately. If NIL money energizes boosters enough, it may also nudge more ADs and college presidents to support women's sports more. Boosters are also a traditional source for endowment fundraising.

Similar situation with NIL. It has the potential of turning into a pay-for-play system, though I don't think we're there yet. But the previous system was unfair to students and probably illegal. NIL rights are property rights, and the NCAAA profited from that unfairly (and maybe illegally) for decades. Rectifying that seemed necessary to me, though the consequences of it are far from clear, especially in a league run by the very institution that has repeatedly failed to treat students fairly.

I don't think we can go back on either the portal or NIL. But things are definitely changing.

 

[BRS24]

I'm going to bookmark this thread and then revisit again next year. This is the last year of the extra covid year, and between that, and the May 1 deadline for all transfers, grad included, might iron a few things out.

 

[Centerstream]

The difference between student athletes and other student types leaving willy nilly is that the players are on a full scholarship. Students that are on scholarship can transfer at will but I am guessing that they are not guaranteed a scholarship, players are. So IMO, it's apples and oranges to compare the situation to non athletes.
And what happens to the hundreds(?) of portal entrants that don't get an offer from another school and their original school cancels their scholarship?
I guess that I am old school in that if a college is willing to offer you a scholarship and invests in developing your athletic skills then you should reciprocate it by giving back to the school as long as you are still being offered a scholarship. If you are willing to cancel the scholarship (transfer), then there should be consequences. Wasn't a reason for getting immediate eligibility because of the unfair waiver situation that became obvious to everyone?
All this is moot in the situation where there is a coaching change.

 

[BobbyJ]

The portal should be more restrictive in that Players should be made to stay 2 years minimum before entering the portal. You make a commitment and should be made to honor at least half of the time. Just because a player is unhappy about playing time should mean they shouldn't be able to leave. Also, 1 transfer only per kid, Medical or Family issues for a kid could be looked at separately and an exception could be made by the governing power and School Administration within a timely period.

Why? Coaches come and go whenever they want for more money or a better situation.

 

[leepaul]

The portal- good or bad????

More like- suicidal!

 

[Centerstream]

Why? Coaches come and go whenever they want for more money or a better situation.

Don't some coaches have to buy out of their contract if they go to another school? That's a consequence.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Don't some coaches have to buy out of their contract if they go to another school? That's a consequence.

Their new employer generally picks up that tab, so not really.

 

[LGITB]

The portal should be more restrictive in that Players should be made to stay 2 years minimum before entering the portal. You make a commitment and should be made to honor at least half of the time. Just because a player is unhappy about playing time should mean they shouldn't be able to leave. Also, 1 transfer only per kid, Medical or Family issues for a kid could be looked at separately and an exception could be made by the governing power and School Administration within a timely period.

That's assuming the only reason a player would want to leave is game time. I keep thinking back to the Renee Portland situation - would the players she harassed had stayed if they had alternatives? probably not. It can also be a lifeline in some cases.

 

[Inthepaint]

I love it. I hope every kid putting their body on the line to entertain us when they should be partying and worrying about grades becomes a millionaire and never has to worry about money again.

And I'm glad that players have the freedom to go where they're wanted, celebrated, and compensated instead of getting stuck in crappy situations that everyone else can leave willy nilly except the player

My original take on MLB free-agency still stands.
Absolutely wonderful for the players, but very bad for the game itself.
NIL & Willy-nilly portal looks to be the same deal
Going to need a heap of tweaking and fine tuning

 

[BobbyJ]

As I watch the depressing, commercialized free for all that Women’s Basketball has become, I can’t help but wonder where the game will be five to fifteen years from now. While “parity” has been given a lot of lip service over the past fifteen to twenty years, the game is still largely made up of the haves and the have nots. To be fair, the number of “haves” has increased to some degree but the vast majority of teams still reside firmly in the “have nots” neighborhood!

When the portal idea came along, many hailed it as a giant step toward finally achieving (or at least boosting) more parity in the game! Unfortunately for those (imo) misguided optimists, NIL came along with it and now parity seems further away than ever. It seems to me that the portal and NIL have basically nuked the (imo) naive dreams of parity by consolidating a permanent upper class made up of a group of schools with either vastly superior (and wealthy) NIL programs and a very select few schools whose pedigrees can attract kids without the added incentive of huge NIL endowments.

It seems like the college game is now a giant “free agent” bidding war and we are seeing more and more “super teams” a la LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh; (“not three, not four, not five….“). My question is; how long before (probably already happening) coaches or more likely, go- betweens start contacting players who have no intention of transferring and offering them large amounts of money to change teams? Anyway, it seems to me that right at a time when the game has exploded with popularity, it has simultaneously sowed the seeds of it’s own potential destruction! I don’t mean to be a downer especially a a time when our Huskies look to be gearing up for another dominant run, but I do find it difficult to be optimistic in terms of where the game is headed. Thoughts?

The portal and NIL weren't put in for parity. They are for student-athletes to have the same freedom and rights that coaches, ADs, and everyone else has. To go where and when you want for more money or a better situation. The "haves" have been backdoor bargaining and using the shoe companies to buy the best players for 30+ years and getting away with it. Why would they stop now?

 

[ERWUC65]

As I watch the depressing, commercialized free for all that Women’s Basketball has become, I can’t help but wonder where the game will be five to fifteen years from now. While “parity” has been given a lot of lip service over the past fifteen to twenty years, the game is still largely made up of the haves and the have nots. To be fair, the number of “haves” has increased to some degree but the vast majority of teams still reside firmly in the “have nots” neighborhood!

When the portal idea came along, many hailed it as a giant step toward finally achieving (or at least boosting) more parity in the game! Unfortunately for those (imo) misguided optimists, NIL came along with it and now parity seems further away than ever. It seems to me that the portal and NIL have basically nuked the (imo) naive dreams of parity by consolidating a permanent upper class made up of a group of schools with either vastly superior (and wealthy) NIL programs and a very select few schools whose pedigrees can attract kids without the added incentive of huge NIL endowments.

It seems like the college game is now a giant “free agent” bidding war and we are seeing more and more “super teams” a la LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh; (“not three, not four, not five….“). My question is; how long before (probably already happening) coaches or more likely, go- betweens start contacting players who have no intention of transferring and offering them large amounts of money to change teams? Anyway, it seems to me that right at a time when the game has exploded with popularity, it has simultaneously sowed the seeds of it’s own potential destruction! I don’t mean to be a downer especially a a time when our Huskies look to be gearing up for another dominant run, but I do find it difficult to be optimistic in terms of where the game is headed. Thoughts?

You have admirably described 2 of the 3 major factors contributing to the inequity in women's (and men's) college basketball, NIL and the Portal. The 3rd and arguably most significant factor is the past few years of realignment of conferences - starting with college football, now filtering down to college basketball and soon affecting all college sports. Look to the Pac12 as an example...what a shame, I feel so sorry for those on the west coast trying to follow their schools. As those who have said 'It's all about the money' were right and now we (mostly of the older generation) now have lost local and regional allegiances to our local schools and alma maters. Pretty soon there will be no delineation between the professional leagues and the college divisions. And, if we were to point fingers in the direction of those responsible, we need to look no further than the NCAA leadership.

 

[Centerstream]

Their new employer generally picks up that tab, so not really.

But the original school is getting paid so they are getting a return on their investment.

 

[MSGRET]

The difference between student athletes and other student types leaving willy nilly is that the players are on a full scholarship. Students that are on scholarship can transfer at will but I am guessing that they are not guaranteed a scholarship, players are. So IMO, it's apples and oranges to compare the situation to non athletes.
And what happens to the hundreds(?) of portal entrants that don't get an offer from another school and their original school cancels their scholarship?
I guess that I am old school in that if a college is willing to offer you a scholarship and invests in developing your athletic skills then you should reciprocate it by giving back to the school as long as you are still being offered a scholarship. If you are willing to cancel the scholarship (transfer), then there should be consequences. Wasn't a reason for getting immediate eligibility because of the unfair waiver situation that became obvious to everyone?
All this is moot in the situation where there is a coaching change.

Players are given scholarships that are renewed or some say extended every year. The University (Coach) can withdraw the scholarship at the end of every school year, normally between April or May depending on the school.

 

[Boreifs]

I wonder if any of you complaining about the system ever transferred colleges or taught at Universities where coaches make more in a week than the average faculty member does in a year. The game is doomed??? This year’s tournament was spectacular basketball with record-setting attendance and Tv ratings. We need to accept this; transfer is a right and players need to be paid. There is no scenario where that isn’t correct.

 

[martyn]

It's a rich get richer the poor get poorer thing, therefore bad for the game. Also bad for the richer in the final analysis.

 

[CB360]

Why? Coaches come and go whenever they want for more money or a better situation.

A happy medium between what was and what is. If you wouldn't care if what happened to Oregon St happened to UConn then I guess I might understand your comment. As far as coaches go. They should honor thier commitment too! That 's just my personal belief. 80% of the people today don't feel a need to do that. It's all about money and what have you done for me lately......

 

[Ozimoto]

In my opinion, major college athletics is no longer about "students." In the case of major college football and men's basketball (and women's basketball will follow suit if the current swell in popularity is sustained) you are now looking at a money making proposition for the universities in the power conferences and a "minor" league for professional sports. Sorry to see things go this way.

Competing with and keeping the best players will be out of reach for at least 75% of current Division I sports programs who will not be able to field competitive teams. They will still have good players because there are a lot of kids that want to play and the games will be fun to attend and watch, but they won't have any chance of competing with the power conference (minor league) teams. Unless UConn can somehow worm their way into a power four conference they will be in this boat once Geno retires.

 

[omshanti]

I wonder if any of you complaining about the system ever transferred colleges or taught at Universities where coaches make more in a week than the average faculty member does in a year. The game is doomed??? This year’s tournament was spectacular basketball with record-setting attendance and Tv ratings. We need to accept this; transfer is a right and players need to be paid. There is no scenario where that isn’t correct.

I don’t think people are complaining about transferring, I’m not complaining. yes, transferring is a right and so is leaving a school for any reason. transactional relationships are not right. We are still talking about college players. my opinion is that the money is changing the women’s game as it has changed the men’s game years ago. People are tuning into the women’s game because the networks are finally broadcasting the games. Fans love the game and always have. That has nothing to do with transfer portal or nil. The game has always been a good ‘product’.

 

[triaddukefan]

As a fan. Bad for WBB. Brutal for MBB

 

[cancontent]

Players are given scholarships that are renewed or some say extended every year. The University (Coach) can withdraw the scholarship at the end of every school year, normally between April or May depending on the school.

Not to mention, when coaching changes happen the new coach may not honour the scholarship. This also happens to incoming recruits. Sometimes these athletes are heading to the portal but not by their own choice. NIL has had an effect but putting it all on NIL isn't fair/accurate.