5 ways to solve the NIL "Crisis"

✅ Ideal Solutions to Restore Competitive Balance in College Basketball

While NIL and the transfer portal are here to stay, there are practical solutions that could level the playing field and help mid-majors remain viable. Here’s a framework of potential fixes that the NCAA, conferences, and individual programs could implement.

💡 1. NIL Revenue Sharing Model

• Current Problem: NIL currently operates as an unregulated free-market system, which disproportionately benefits high-major programs with larger collectives and booster networks. Mid-majors can’t compete financially.

• Solution: Implement revenue sharing across divisions, where a portion of the NIL revenue from high-major conferences is distributed to mid-major programs.

• How It Would Work:

  • Similar to how pro sports leagues share media revenue, the NCAA could mandate that a small percentage of major-conference NIL earnings go into a Mid-Major Development Fund.

  • This would give mid-majors more financial resources to offer competitive NIL deals and retain their top players.

• Example: A system where 5–10% of Power 4 programs’ NIL revenue goes into a fund for mid-majors could provide smaller schools with a fighting chance.

• Impact:

  • Helps mid-majors retain key players.

  • Reduces the financial gap between tiers.

  • Preserves roster continuity at mid-majors.

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🔒 2. Two-Year Transfer Commitment Rule

• Current Problem: The one-time, no-sit transfer rule allows players to switch programs freely, encouraging constant roster churn and making mid-majors vulnerable to poaching.

• Solution: Implement a two-year commitment rule for transfer players, where they must stay at their new school for at least two years.

• How It Would Work:

  • After transferring, a player is required to remain at their new school for two seasons before they are eligible to transfer again.

  • Exceptions could be made for coaching changes or family emergencies.

• Impact:

  • Reduces the frequency of portal entries.

  • Discourages players from jumping ship for short-term NIL gains.

  • Allows mid-majors more time to develop and retain talent.

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⚖️ 3. Transfer Compensation for Mid-Majors (NCAA Training Fee Model)

• Current Problem: Mid-majors invest in player development only to have high-majors swoop in and benefit without compensating the original program.

• Solution: Create an NCAA-sanctioned training compensation model (similar to FIFA’s system in soccer), where high-majors must pay a transfer fee to mid-majors when they sign their players.

• How It Would Work:

  • If a mid-major player transfers to a high-major program, the high-major school pays the original program a transfer fee (based on the player’s scholarship year or playing contributions).

  • This fee could be either direct monetary compensation or NIL-equivalent credits to support mid-major collectives.

• Example: If a breakout star transfers from a mid-major to a Power 5 school, the high-major program must pay a fee (e.g., $100K) to the mid-major’s athletic department or NIL fund.

• Impact:

  • Mid-majors are incentivized to develop players without fearing total roster depletion.

  • Adds financial accountability for high-majors.

  • Helps mid-majors reinvest in their programs.

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🔥 4. NIL Cap or Tiered Collective System

• Current Problem: High-majors’ massive NIL collectives create an uneven playing field, turning recruiting into a financial arms race.

• Solution: Implement a salary-cap-like system where schools are placed into NIL tiers with spending limits.

• How It Would Work:

  • Divide schools into three tiers based on their conference revenue.

  • Each tier would have a cap on the total amount they can distribute in NIL deals.

  • Mid-majors would be placed in a tier with a competitive cap, preventing high-majors from grossly outspending them.

• Impact:

  • Creates a more level playing field.

  • Prevents high-majors from stockpiling talent with massive NIL deals.

  • Allows mid-majors to retain more players.

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🔧 5. NCAA Oversight on NIL Deals to Prevent Tampering

• Current Problem: NIL tampering (contacting players at other schools through third parties) is rampant, allowing high-majors to poach mid-major stars with backdoor offers.

• Solution: Implement NCAA-mandated transparency and enforcement to prevent tampering.

• How It Would Work:

  • Require all NIL offers to be publicly disclosed to the NCAA for verification.

  • Enforce tampering rules with strict penalties (loss of scholarships, fines) for programs caught offering under-the-table NIL deals to players already under scholarship.

• Impact:

• Deters high-majors from illegally luring mid-major players.

• Creates more transparency in NIL negotiations.

• Protects mid-majors from predatory recruiting tactics.

✅ Ideal Outcome: Balance & Sustainability

Combining these solutions would create a more sustainable and competitive college basketball landscape:

• Revenue sharing gives mid-majors more financial strength.

• Transfer compensation ensures player development is rewarded.

• Two-year transfer commitments promote roster continuity.

• NIL caps prevent financial monopolies.

• Anti-tampering measures preserve fair recruiting practices.

ve Cinderella stories—schools like Loyola Chicago and Florida Gulf Coast making deep NCAA Tournament runs. However, with the best players being poached before their teams can truly break through, those magical mid-major runs are becoming rarer