The Powers That Be: Daily Inside the NCAA’s Moneyball Era
Jan 24, 2026
Charlie Baker, former Massachusetts governor and NCAA president, offers a concise mini bio and perspective on college sports governance. He unpacks transfer portal chaos and proposed transfer/eligibility fixes. He talks media rights, March Madness expansion, NIL issues, and why Congress might need to step in. Brief, topical, and focused on the biggest policy flashpoints.
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Limit Routine Transfers To Protect Stability
- Allow one transfer without question, and allow additional transfers only for exigent circumstances like a coach leaving.
- Monitor academic progress closely because most student-athletes won't play professionally and need degrees.
Incentives, Not Rules, Drive Eligibility Mess
- Baker argues eligibility controversies stem less from rule changes and more from shifting incentives under new NIL and legal environments.
- He notes many drafted players never signed pro contracts and thus weren't fundamentally different under existing rules.
Count Pro Seasons Against College Eligibility
- Treat a G League season as a season of competition and count it against collegiate eligibility.
- Allow entry if no NBA contract was signed, but reduce remaining collegiate seasons accordingly (four seasons total across five years).