Sources: NCAA schools poised to block college calendar overhaul

Two semester model support

A groundbreaking change to men's college soccer is on the brink of collapse. NCAA schools are expected to secure enough votes to overturn a switch to a two-semester model, in a stunning turnaround from a successful vote that appeared to usher in one of the biggest changes to the sport in decades, multiple sources told GOAL. Last month, the NCAA approved a plan to stretch out the season, but a surprise late pushback has threatened to crush the initiative.

On Oct. 7, the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a switch to a fall-spring calendar, a proposal that had been in motion for nearly a decade. However, because the proposal passed without securing the necessary level of support to avoid a challenge, schools were given the chance to overturn the decision. At least 241 schools are needed to vote to rescind the proposal, and multiple sources told GOAL they expect that threshold to be met by Friday's 5 p.m. ET deadline.

A two-semester system was viewed by proponents as an ideal way to stretch out the season from a condensed fall calendar that has led to concerns about player welfare, development and the lack of eyes on the championship game, which is held in early December. Supporters have also pointed to backing from student-athletes as a key reason to make the change.

The proposal had been pushed and defeated on numerous occasions. However, with momentum following the World Cup and MLS's switch to a fall-spring calendar - which proponents hoped would bring more relevance to the collegiate draft - skeptics were finally swayed toward approving the proposal. Sources told GOAL that such a move is instrumental in keeping college soccer relevant in the national landscape.

Strong competition emerges

However, the NCAA's voting process has presented one final obstacle. October's successful approval did not receive enough support to avoid a rescission period, meaning that a two-thirds vote against the proposal could see it killed. And because NCAA rules give eligible Division I schools voting power regardless of whether they sponsor men's soccer, institutions with no direct involvement in the sport were handed the chance to weigh in.

Of the 213 schools that sponsor Division I men's soccer, sources told GOAL that around 80 are firmly in favor of the move. But skepticism elsewhere has led to significant pushback. A strong voting bloc of schools that do not sponsor men's soccer, along with institutions already skeptical of the proposal, is expected to push the opposition past the required threshold before Friday's deadline. As of Thursday morning, sources told GOAL that more than 80 schools that had voted to rescind the proposal do not sponsor men's soccer.

Their reasons are multiple. A common thread is the supposed strain the change might place on communications officers, or SIDs, who are responsible for handling media and communications efforts around teams. At so-called "mid-major" programs, it is not uncommon for a single employee to head efforts for multiple teams spread across a calendar year. Others have cited a "dangerous precedent" that might open the floodgates for other sports to make similar moves.

Proponents of the plan have dismissed those concerns as "fearmongering," and one source told GOAL he "couldn't believe there's even the nerve" among those who have voted to rescind.

Changes still possible

Those in favor of the measure believe there might still be a pathway to significant changes. Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski told GOAL that those most committed to a two-semester model, around 80 colleges, could form their own setup - potentially with input from U.S. Soccer.

"I believe U.S. Soccer is going to step up and find another solution for the very interested schools...Maybe we get an FBS/FCS situation now. Maybe schools that don't want to do it can stay and keep doing what they're doing, and maybe we now create a situation for the schools that are interested in doing this. I think that could be a very likely outcome," he said.

Other coaches speculated that a similar change might come to fruition, citing productive dialogue with U.S. Soccer as they look for ways to adapt the sport.

It is true, too, that rescission votes can be withdrawn before the deadline. But sources suggested that such an outcome is unlikely, pointing to what they described as "back-channel politicking" that has gathered momentum in recent days.