The holiday season is here in full swing, bringing packed match schedules and never-ending controversies! First, it was the Gabby Thomas versus Michael Johnson debate, and now a new storm has brewed over the NCAA’s announcement to open the transfer portal for the next season. The timing couldn’t be worse. NCAA volleyball has just entered the Sweet 16, with two thrilling days of matches lined up on December 12th and 13th. The decision to activate the transfer portal during such a pivotal moment has sparked reactions from coaches, athletes, and analysts, fueling the ongoing debate around transfer portals.

First PVF coach Amy Pauly, now yesterday, a new name was added to the list of comments. Emily Ehman, a former Northwestern volleyball player, sports commentator, and national analyst, took to Twitter to share her views on the issue. Emily said, “But what is “acceptable” to some, isn’t “acceptable” to others.” What an opening statement, right? perfectly capturing the whole drama. Further, she said, “Ex: Star player knows she can make a lot of NIL/revenue sharing $$ & have a shot at winning a title if she leaves her current school. That’s strictly a business decision.”

The NCAA introduced ‘NIL’, or ‘Name, Image, and Likeness.’ It has been one of the major reasons for athletes opting for transfers. NIL was introduced for collegiate athletes to help them monetize their fame outside school and earn revenue to compensate for their achievements. But what it does is create distrust between the coach, the athlete, and the team.

Emily Ehman’s comment on Twitter came as a reply to what Amy Pauly, PVF coach, posted on the platform on the same day. Amy asked people to share their thoughts on the issue. Earlier, Amy Pauly took a contrasting stand; to that of Emily, Amy saw the whole transfer thing as rather disappointing. She said, “But let’s just call the last 48 hours for what it is – this isn’t about the student-athlete experience anymore & this isn’t about coaches putting the athletes first – It’s about people looking out for their best interest and finding EASY ways out.” She did not mention anything related to NIL in her post as such.

Another user also took the opportunity to highlight the possible reasons for transfer on Amy’s post.“Acceptable Reasons: -Graduate Transfer -Homesick/Family Issues -Mental or Physical Health Issues -*Coaching Change -Struggling Academically -Toxic Team Culture. * This one is not always a good reason, but can be.” Yes, transfers do take place due to relevant reasons, but in the end, it does affect the dynamics.

NCAA transfers are not just a problem in college volleyball. Coaches and athletes have raised questions about it time and again.

NCAA Transfer Portal is affecting diverse collegiate sports

As reported by The Williston, since the change in NCAA rules in 2021 to allow athletes one-time penalty-free transfers, the number of athletes entering the portal has increased. From 9000 in 2021 to 12,000 in 2023. This year, the LSU Tigers lost five of their players, all thanks to new rules. Obviously, their coach Brian Kelly was disappointed, as he said, “It was because the value that was meant to [other schools] was exponentially more. It wasn’t market value. Because it meant [other teams] needed that piece. They were going to do whatever was necessary to get that piece.”

Previously, Alabama’s head coach for football, Nick Saban, has also mentioned how athletes are thinking only about NIL. He does think NIL opportunities benefit the players, but they should not forget the core mission, which is player development. “All they care about is how much you’re going to pay them, they don’t care about how you’re going to develop them, which is what we’ve always done.”

But all isn’t that gloomy. Still, some athletes care more about loyalty than NIL. Patrick Kennedy, who wrestles for the Hawkeyes, received better NIL offers due to his victories. But he chose loyalty over money. “It makes no sense in my head to go somewhere and hate it and get paid, but you just hate being there.” But their a twist: he did have money while growing up, which many college athletes did not have. Thus, putting him in a better position while finalizing such deals.

At this point, it’s difficult to say what’s right and what’s wrong. What is your take on the whole transfer issue? Share your thoughts in the comments down below.