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Afternoon Edition

April 10, 2025

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Just over a week after the NCAA tournament, more than a third of the country’s men’s basketball players are now in the transfer portal. We examine the phenomenon and its effects on the sport.

— Colin Salao [[link removed]] and Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

More Than 2,000 Men’s Basketball Players Have Entered Transfer Portal [[link removed]]

Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The NCAA is in transfer-portal chaos.

There are 2,033 men’s NCAA Division I basketball players who have entered the transfer portal as of April 10 [[link removed]], according to Verbal Commits. That’s about 35% of the 5,607 players at the beginning of the 2024–2025 season [[link removed]], including players who will graduate this year. Not all of those players are on scholarships, meaning the players in the transfer portal make up an even greater share of minutes and benefits.

While the number of transfer aspirants has yet to surpass last year’s total (2,088), players can still enter the portal, as it will remain open until April 22. The 30-day transfer-portal window opened March 24.

However, not all of the players will transfer schools. Players are allowed to return to their original schools so long as the school is open to them returning, such as San Diego State center Magoon Gwath, who entered the portal on the first day it opened but withdrew April 2. He is still included in the count of Verbal Commits.

Not Just the Men

The transfer-portal chaos does not stop on the men’s side, though. On3’s Talia Goodman reported Wednesday that more than 1,300 women’s D-I players have entered the transfer portal [[link removed]], which is about 25% of the 5,048 who were on rosters at the beginning of last season.

Among the transfers are Ta’Niya Latson [[link removed]], who led the NCAA in scoring last year and committed to South Carolina, and Olivia Miles, the projected No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, who chose to return to college and transfer from Notre Dame to TCU.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who led the Huskies to a record 12th national championship Sunday, spoke out about his qualms with the transfer portal [[link removed]] during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday.

“What makes it hard is that in the NBA, they have a free-agency period of time. … Our free agency is the whole year,” Auriemma said. “The portal is open during the NCAA tournament. Can you imagine the NBA playoffs and free agency is going on during the playoffs? I mean, it’s insanity.”

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NFL Schedule Set to Drop in May—With Major Changes in Store [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The forthcoming release of the National Football League’s 2025 regular-season schedule is set to look very similar to last year’s, but the game slate itself is poised to be rather different—further showcasing the league’s attempt to make each of the 272 games a major event.

League officials are currently planning to unveil the full game schedule around May 15, a timing that would match last year’s release [[link removed]]. The full drop of the game schedule is again likely to be preceded by announcements of special-event contests such as the Sept. 4 kickoff game at the Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field [[link removed]] and international games.

“Somewhere in the May 13, 14, or 15 range is probably still our target,” said NFL VP of broadcast planning and scheduling Mike North this week on the It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo podcast [[link removed]].

This year’s schedule, however, will contemplate several additional factors, making its construction more complex than ever. Among the additional issues:

The record-setting collection of seven international games [[link removed]], including first-time trips for the NFL in the regular season to Ireland and Spain. An expanded Christmas Day slate [[link removed]] with a game on Amazon to join another doubleheader on Netflix. A desire to reverse a 2% decline in regular-season ratings in 2024 [[link removed]]. An unprecedented audience for Super Bowl LIX [[link removed]] provided a massive counterpoint, but the league is still aiming for the regular-season viewership dip not to become an extended trend. A recently approved measure to expand the amount of flex scheduling available [[link removed]] for Amazon’s Thursday Night Football package. Settling which network will broadcast the league’s Sept. 5 return to Brazil [[link removed]], a game involving the Chargers as the designated home team. Keeping every rights holder happy as they seek to broadcast particularly coveted 2025 games such as a Super Bowl LIX rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles, and another high-profile clash between the Chiefs and Bills as Kansas City remains the NFL’s top television draw [[link removed]]. The outcome of the upcoming draft and potential free-agent signings, such as whether Aaron Rodgers will sign with the Steelers [[link removed]]. Green Bay will travel to Pittsburgh as part of the NFL’s established formula of 2025 game opponents [[link removed]].

“Are there some trades that are going to happen? [We’re] still waiting on a certain future Hall of Fame quarterback to sign somewhere, maybe this year,” North said on the podcast. “Hopefully, a lot of that is known by draft day.”

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Denver’s $200M NWSL Stadium Plan Hits Roadblock Over Funding [[link removed]]

Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

A historic facility investment in U.S. women’s pro sports is already getting significant pushback just weeks after it was first unveiled.

Several members of the Denver City Council said Wednesday they have significant reservations about providing $70 million in taxpayer funds toward a planned stadium to house a National Women’s Soccer League expansion team [[link removed]].

That stadium, along with a record-setting $110 million expansion fee, is part of a collective investment that NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman previously described [[link removed]] as ”the largest in women’s sports in the history of the world. Period.” The proposed use of public funds, however, is clashing against several other issues, including an already stretched city budget and a particularly turbulent national economy [[link removed]].

“I don’t believe this stadium will ever be built,” said city councilwoman Sarah Parady. “I wish that I did.”

The franchise owners, led by IMA Financial Group CEO Rob Cohen, remain undeterred as they plan to spend up to $200 million for the stadium.

“We won’t abandon this project because it’s important to our core values and what we’re trying to do,” Cohen said.

No votes have been taken yet as the council considers whether to provide $50 million for land and infrastructure improvements for the stadium and another $20 million for upgrades to adjacent areas. A vote on conditional funding could happen April 23.

Bigger Issues

The proposed NWSL stadium, located in Denver’s Santa Fe Yards neighborhood just south of downtown, is also part of a growing collection of sports-related projects that look to reshape the city. The NFL’s Broncos are also actively considering what to do with the 24-year-old Empower Field at Mile High.

Meanwhile, Stan Kroenke, owner of the NBA’s Nuggets and NHL’s Avalanche, is embarking on an ambitious plan to develop about 55 acres of land surrounding those teams’ Ball Arena. The NWSL project, beyond making its own statement about the future of the league and women’s sports broadly, will seek to integrate into a fast-changing Denver.

“This, to me, is a small investment in an area that has historic redlining, that has a lack of public spaces,” said councilwoman Flor Alvidrez, who challenged some of the opposition from other council members. “I’m pretty appalled that when it comes to investing in this area, all of a sudden it’s too much?”

STATUS REPORT Two Up, Two Down

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Pat McAfee ⬆ The sports media star drew 12,582 fans in Pittsburgh for his “Big Night Aht” live show, selling out PPG Paints Arena, home of the Penguins. He also brought out several special guests [[link removed]], including Ben Roethlisberger, Sidney Crosby, Paul Skenes, and Wiz Khalifa. A widely anticipated appearance by Aaron Rodgers, a potential free-agent target of the Steelers [[link removed]], did not happen.

FIA ⬇ Robert Reid, the deputy president of Formula One’s governing body, resigned Thursday ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, citing a “standards breakdown” within the organization. Several other senior members of the FIA have left in recent months [[link removed]]. Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been FIA president since 2021.

U.S. soccer team ownership in the U.K. ⬆ The 49ers Enterprises–owned Leeds United, ALK Capital–owned Burnley, and COH Sports–led Sheffield United occupy the top three slots in the second-tier EFL Championship as the regular season winds down and are vying for a lucrative promotion to the Premier League. Two of the three will gain automatic promotion, while the third will compete in a four-team playoff for an additional Premier League slot. Ten U.S.-owned teams are already in the Premier League, including the Fenway Sports Group–controlled Liverpool that tops the standings, though Ipswich Town is poised for relegation.

Matt Gay ⬇ The 31-year-old was released by the Colts just two years after signing a four-year, $22.5 million contract that made him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. Gay was a standout with the Rams but struggled in Indianapolis, making only 11 of his 22 attempts of 50 yards or longer.

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Conversation Starters Gatorade dropped an ad ahead of Luka Dončić’s first game back in Dallas with the tagline: “No love lost. Only sweat.” Check it out [[link removed]]. TNT Sports will air a behind-the-scenes look at the last season of Inside the NBA in May. Watch the trailer here [[link removed]]. Caitlin Clark and David Letterman went one-on-one trying to shoot grapes into a glass. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks U.S. Investor Buys Italian Hoops Team Amid Euro Sports Surge [[link removed]]by Ben Horney [[link removed]]Napoli Basketball plays in Serie A1 and sits in 13th place. Suns Will Miss the Playoffs Despite Having NBA’s Highest Payroll [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The team’s luxury tax bill exceeds other teams’ full salaries. ‘Triumph and Tragedy’: Documentary Follows Yeshiva Basketball Team After Oct. 7 [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]The documentary follows the Maccabees season after the Oct. 7 attack. DISCLAIMER

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