If you have been apart of the Twitter/X softball world over the past 48 hours you have probably seen the word tampering going around and viral. But what exactly does tampering refer to?

Tampering according to the NCAA rules is outlined in 13.1.1.3, “An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution’s athletics interests shall not communicate or make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA Division I institution, or any individual associated with the student-athlete (e.g., family member, scholastic or nonscholastic coach, advisor), directly or indirectly, without first obtaining authorization through the notification of transfer process.”

For example, in 2024, the NCAA ruled that Southern Utah violated 13.1.1.3 and communicated with two football players that were not yet in the portal. This was ruled and considered impermissible and tampering because both athletes had not yet entered the portal when the coach and the athletes had discussions. The athletes entered the portal the next day; thus, tampering.

Again, if you haven’t been living under a rock, then you have seen several tweets about tampering in softball and this is not a new claim in college sport. Sports Illustrated reported in February of this year that an anonymous survey revealed that Group of Five football coaches felt tampering was rampant in in their sport. Furthermore, they stated Power 4 coaches poached athletes away from their programs and talked to athletes before they entered the portal.

Earlier this week, mid-major coaches called out tampering within the sport of softball and claimed players were being poached off rosters to larger Power 4 school and institutions that could offer larger NIL incentives.

The conversation of tampering escalated through the week as Texas Tech snagged the No. 3, 4, 6, 7, and 29 ranked transfers out of the portal including Tennessee’s Taylor Pannell. Pannell entered the portal the morning of June 12 and by 9 pm had signed with the Red Raiders.

Tennessee’s head coach Karen Weekly took to Twitter/X and boasted that Pannell’s timeline was tampering and in violation of NCAA policy.

As this story progresses, we will see if Tennessee files a formal complaint with the NCAA against Texas Tech for tampering or if other schools and programs come forward with this claim.

More News: Tennessee Softball Coach Karen Weekly Issues Statement Amid Transfer Portal Departures

More News: How Will the NCAA House Settlement Affect the Future of College Softball?

More News: How an NIL Loophole is Transforming Texas Tech Into a Softball Powerhouse

Texas Tech is making headlines across the college sports landscape thanks to its aggressive NIL approach. The Red Raiders are all-in on leveraging NIL to bring championships to Lubbock, and the numbers are staggering.

According to various reports, Texas Tech has invested nearly $30 million into this year’s football roster. In men’s basketball, star forward JT Toppin is reportedly receiving a $4 million NIL deal to remain in Lubbock for one more season. And when it comes to the softball team, star pitcher NiJaree Canady has secured two separate $1 million NIL deals, while the team has also added three All-American transfers in recent days — a haul largely driven by NIL.

CBS Sports recently reported that Texas Tech is projected to spend around $55 million between NIL and revenue sharing across all athletic programs in 2025, a payout that is likely higher than any other college in the nation.

While Red Raider fans are celebrating this new era of NIL and the spending spree currently taking place in Lubbock, not everyone is enjoying it. Critics, particularly rival fans, have voiced concerns about the ethics of such an aggressive NIL approach. Reports of multi-million dollar payouts and exploiting “loopholes” have caused some to cry foul.

Yet, many point out that powerhouse programs have been spending big for years, albeit under the table. With NIL bringing everything out into the open, Texas Tech is simply playing by the new rules — and doing it better than anyone else in the country.

The social media buzz around Texas Tech’s spending has turned into a national debate, but the Red Raiders remain unfazed by that debate. Instead, the focus in Lubbock is squarely on building championship teams. And with financial resources that few schools around the country can compete with, Texas Tech is taking full advantage of its unique opportunity to rise to the top — whether you like it or not.

– Enjoy more Texas Tech coverage on Texas Tech On SI –

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