In a significant shift for college sports, the NCAA Division I Council has announced the immediate elimination of the National Letter of Intent (NLI) program, a move that could change the way athletes engage with college programs. This decision, revealed on Wednesday, marks the end of a system that has been in place since 1964.
The NLI served as a formal, binding contract between prospective athletes and college programs for almost six decades. However, it will now be replaced by a new financial aid agreement designed to fulfill similar roles. This new agreement is expected to connect with a forthcoming revenue-sharing model in college athletics, aiming to create a more flexible and beneficial landscape for athletes.
One of the key changes under the new rules is that transfer athletes will have the opportunity to sign with a new school immediately after they enter the transfer portal. According to the NCAA, once a student-athlete has signed a written offer of athletic aid, other programs will be barred from communicating with that athlete.
This change comes as the NCAA prepares for broader reforms, including an upcoming House settlement, which is set to provide approximately $2.8 billion in damages to both current and former college athletes. This settlement could also pave the way for college programs to start paying athletes over $20 million annually, potentially starting next fall. The final hearing for this settlement is scheduled for April 7, 2025.
Interestingly, this move to eliminate the NLI program comes just over a year after the Collegiate Commissioners Association allowed athletes to withdraw from NLI agreements without penalties in specific situations, such as coaching changes. Those adjustments went into effect for the 2023-24 signing periods, intended for athletes enrolling in the 2024-25 academic year.
Following the NLI decision, other changes may soon impact the NCAA recruiting calendar, particularly for football. Earlier this year, college commissioners decided against voting for a new June signing period for high school athletes. The early signing period for the 2025 cycle will instead begin on December 4, 2024, followed by the traditional signing period starting on February 5, 2025.
