The NCAA unveiled two new important policy changes Wednesday that could have an effect on the future of HBCU athletics.
The NCAA’s Division I council announced that schools could provide assistance to student-athletes with their NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals if they are greater than $600.
DI Council adopts rules allowing schools to assist student-athletes with NIL opportunities, if those student-athletes disclose NIL activities valuing $600+ to their schools.
Decision is not final until the meeting concludes Thurs. and must be ratified by DI Board next week.
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) April 17, 2024
Universities will now be able to assist student-athletes with finding NIL deals and provide a grace period of 30 days for students to notify the school of any individual deals. The key part of the ruling is athletes are not obligated to accept the university’s help for their NIL deals.
The second and likely most important policy change is the discontinuation of the one-year redshirt policy for transfers.
If athletes are in good academic standing with the university they are leaving and on track to earn a degree from the university they’re transferring to, they are immediately eligible to participate.
Transfer windows, which are sport-specific, remain in place and require undergraduate athletes to enter their names into the portal at certain times to be immediately eligible at a new school. Graduate students can already transfer multiple times and enter the portal outside the windows while maintaining immediate eligibility.
Council changes transfer rules, permits immediate eligibility for transfers who are academically eligible/in good standing at prev. school & meet progress-toward-degree requirements at new school.
Decision not final until meeting ends Thurs, must be ratified by DI Board Monday.
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) April 17, 2024
These rulings are still subject to a Thursday committee meeting, and the D1 board vote is on Monday. However, if both rulings pass, they could have immediate implications for HBCUs as the Division I (MEAC and SWAC) and Division II (CIAA and SIAC) conferences look for ways to remain competitive in the changing college sports landscape.
