NCAA approves smaller transfer portal windows for football, basketball from 60 to 45 days

The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday approved a smaller window during which football and basketball players can enter their names into the transfer portal and retain immediate eligibility for the following season from 60 to 45 days.

The council was finishing up two days of meetings in Indianapolis, during which it also approved a package of proposals that would regulate name, image and likeness compensation for athletes and another that recommends stricter penalties for individuals who commit rules violations.

Transfer windows for undergraduate athletes were first implemented last year, and the timing of the transfer period is determined on a sport-by-sport basis. In football, there were two windows: a 45-day window starting in December, after the regular season, and a second in the spring.

The first window will shrink to 30 days.

Football coaches had called for shorter windows, and it became apparent that most players were acting quickly so they could switch schools and join their new teams in time to for the winter/spring semester.

The basketball window opens after the season. Coaches in that sport were hoping to shorten the window to 30 days, but athletes advocated for 45 and their position was supported by NCAA President Charlie Baker.

Graduate transfers have more flexibility and most enter the portal by May 1 for fall sports and July 1 for spring semester.

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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll