NCAA shrinks window for professional athletes to get in portal

• Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Personnel WriterOct 4, 2023, 09:46 AM ET

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  • ESPN staff writer
  • Signed up with ESPN in 2011
  • Graduated from Central Michigan

The NCAA Division I Council approved modifications to the transfer portal windows that will diminish the variety of days for student-athletes to enter their name in the portal.The guideline modification will impact all sports and offer players 45 total days throughout the year to enter their names into the transfer portal.Each sport will have 45 total days, but it will be divided differently by sport. For instance, before this guideline modification, the window for football would open the day after the College Football Playoff groups are announced, which was Dec. 4 in 2022, and would remain open for 45 days.The next duration would open April 15 to April 30, which will stay the same with the brand-new modifications. Under the brand-new rule, there will be a 30-day window after the season and 15 days in the spring.The Division I Council had actually proposed changes to the portal in January that would have seen a decrease from 60 overall

days to 30, however voted Tuesday to instead diminish the window to 45 days. This does not impact when a student-athlete can move, just when they can enter their name into the NCAA database to transfer without penalty.Once the athlete’s name remains in the transfer website, she or he is allowed to have contact with other coaches and can transfer at any time. College student are still able to enter their name in the transfer website at any time without penalty.