CARTER’S CORNER | Carter Bordwell
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) has taken the college sports world by storm. Now, every commitment by a high school prospect or transfer portal player is immediately followed by rumors of how much money was offered, or what other schools were willing to pay.
The problem with NIL has never been the money itself. College athletes deserve to be compensated.
The issue lies in the NCAA’s lack of regulation. Without set guidelines, standard contracts or uniform expectations — like those seen in professional leagues — NIL has devolved into a free-for-all, where athletes can renegotiate deals or switch programs every offseason with few restrictions.
This lack of structure has made life far more difficult for college coaches. Each year, they must re-recruit their roster, decide how to allocate NIL funds, and still try to land top high school and transfer portal talent.
It’s a juggling act that leaves little room for roster continuity or long-term planning.
Implementing contracts that cover a player’s remaining eligibility would help bring stability. Yes, some argue that student-athletes should have the same freedom to transfer as any other college student.
But students not participating in sports aren’t paid to represent a university on the field.
That said, graduate transfers should remain an exception. If a student- athlete earns their degree, they should be free to transfer without restrictions.
Graduation reflects a full academic and athletic commitment, and those individuals deserve the freedom to explore new opportunities — whether athletically, academically or financially. Set contracts would also lead to more transparency. If deals are formally negotiated, it would protect both the school and the athlete.
There have already been multiple instances where players were promised a certain amount of NIL money, only to discover later that the funds never materialized. With binding agreements, those situations would be less common and more easily enforceable.
It would also help promote team loyalty. As a lifelong LSU fan, I’ve seen the revolving door effect firsthand.
In the NIL era, players come and go at a staggering rate. Growing up, I watched legends like Patrick Peterson, Eric Reid, Leonard Fournette and Derek Stingley Jr. suit up for the Tigers year after year.
That kind of continuity built a deeper connection for fans. You knew who the stars were, and you watched them develop across multiple seasons.
That’s no longer the norm. This offseason, LSU added 20 transfers from the portal and lost 26.
Even the best players are now willing to jump ship. Just this past offseason, defending national champion Ohio State brought in safety Caleb Downs from Alabama, along with star running back Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss and several others from top programs.
It’s become the new reality — build a team, lose half of it, rebuild, repeat.
Without regulation, college athletics has become a revolving door. Athletes chase bigger paychecks or better opportunities, which is understandable in some cases.
But often, the grass isn’t greener on the other side. If players signed multi-year contracts out of high school, perhaps they’d take more time considering the right fit — rather than jumping at the highest bidder, only to enter the portal again a year later.
NIL isn’t going away, and nor should it. But if the NCAA wants to protect the integrity of the sport — and ensure a better experience for athletes, coaches and fans — it’s time for structure, regulation and accountability.
Carter Bordwell is the sports editor for the Elgin Courier and Taylor Press. He can be reached at carter.bordwell@granitemediapartners.
com.
