Do college sports need a "fix" for NIL and the transfer portal?

The new move-ins to the NCAA neighborhood have certainly stirred plenty of controversy in recent days, haven't they? The introduction of player compensation via NIL alongside the untethered transfer portal freedom has shaken up the status quo of college sports -- specifically the relationship between the student-athlete and their university.

Brigham Young University, of all places, has become a titan in the NIL-verse. Alumni and donors with pockets as deep as their desire for on-court success have lifted the BYU basketball program from a middling bunch in the West Coast Conference to a top-15 bunch in just two seasons at the Big 12 level. With the incoming fleet of elite hoopers next season, BYU is looking to cement its place in the top tier of the greater competitive landscape.

But should programs like BYU have access to an NBA-caliber coaching staff, top-10 recruiting classes, and an influx of untapped potential thanks to the size of their alumni bank accounts?

Well, here's an added wrinkle to this ever-tangling mess of interconnected strings: beyond a payday, athlete-empowerment has taken over the transfer portal as a zero-consequence transfer portal has enabled any player to jump from one school to the next, chasing whichever program has the funds to secure his or her talents.

With no drawback to entering the transfer portal in any given offseason (no eligibility penalty, year to sit out of competition, etc), more and more players are entering the transfer portal with one overarching objective: get paid.

As of this moment, the NCAA is in a wild period without laws or regulations. But the questions on everyone's minds boil down to one major sticking point: is the present state of NIL and the transfer portal sustainable, and does the NCAA need to employ stricter regulations to maintain balance?

The Case for NIL and the Transfer Portal

The concept of NIL is a net good for student-athletes looking to make their way through college while developing their athletic talents. Universities have been profiting off their athletic departments for decades without so much as a cent allowed to the "workforce" outside of scholarship considerations.

College sports are a gigantic and lucrative industry, so it's only fair that the players who put the product on display get a fair cut for their effort.

But as players begin adding more zeroes to their expected wage, the bubble expands. The questions emerge: how much is too much? Will this free market balance itself out with time? When, if ever, will this bubble burst?

According to Voltedu, the top 3 NIL deals in college sports as of March, 2025 were:

Arch Manning, Texas ($6.7 million)
Cooper Flagg, Duke ($5.9 million)
AJ Dybantsa, BYU ($5.4 million)

That's no small payday.

So long as schools are capable and willing to pay for the services of such transcendent talents, more power to those institutions. In combination with the freedom of the transfer portal, these deals can be very alluring to players looking for a change of scenery.

In the past, transferring programs meant the moving player would have to sit out for a season before playing with their new team. Removing the limitations of relocation has allowed for players to seek a better situation, be it due to a lesser-than-expected role, a poor fit, coaching change, or otherwise. Freeing up these student-athletes has allowed them to take control of their athletic journey, and avoid unfair or unpredictable circumstances.

In the case of players like JT Toppin and Tahaad Pettiford, NIL earnings from another year of college may be enticing enough to spend another year in school, en lieu of a professional debut. The more talented players opting to play college sports, the better the product. Win win.

The Case Against NIL and the Transfer Portal

Of course, this pair wouldn't be such a hot topic in recent months (complete with oodles of teenage-scented angst), if it didn't have its drawbacks. Once again, BYU has been in the discussion vortex after outbidding Baylor for sophomore point guard, Rob Wright III. While details of his NIL are murky, two conference peers entered the ring for Wright, and only one could come away with the prize of his enrollment.

The outraged public cried out, and the sentiment was piercing: are college sports pay to win? Can any program with the most cash to splash win out in competition for the best players available, or is there more nuance to be explored?

To this point, BYU has separated themselves from the competition strategically and financially, developing a professional-tier program from top to bottom has brought their basketball team to the forefront of the sport. For a school with the resources of BYU, their NIL and portal navigation has leveled the playing field.

But what about the schools that get left behind? Could stricter regulations make this game even more accessible for the little guys?

If the payouts remain unchecked and players remain free to jump ship at the drop of a hat, how will that affect the greater landscape of the sport going forward? Will more players like Nico Iamaleava threaten to hold out without more money? Could more players threaten to pack up and leave their program unless they rake in a massive payday?

Time will tell how this issue affects college sports in the coming years.

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