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The NCAA Division I Council gave its approval Wednesday on a measure to eliminate the National Letter of Intent program.
In yet another sign that the landscape of college athletics is changing drastically, the Division I Council has approved the transition of the National Letter of Intent program into NCAA signing and recruiting rules. This would take effect immediately, although the council’s decisions are not final until its meeting ends later Wednesday.
DI Council approves transition of National Letter of Intent program into NCAA signing and recruiting rules, effective immediately.
Council decisions are not final until meeting concludes later today.
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) October 9, 2024
The National Letter of Intent (NLI) program was launched in 1964 and has been the binding agreement signed by recruits for decades. With this impending change though, financial aid and scholarship agreements are expected to be used instead.
However, this could be just a temporary solution. Once the House v. NCAA settlement is finalized, it’s possible the NCAA will introduce a new binding agreement for players and schools to sign.
The D1 council also made a significant change to the transfer portal windows for football this week. The portal will now be open for a total of 30 days (down from 45). That time includes a 20-day period after conference championship weekend and a 10-day period in the spring.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.