What is the timeframe for stakes?

Each stake is good for the upcoming "season" or school year.  

So, for example, if you were to stake $5 for a player to come to your school for their Junior year, that stake would convert upon that player officially being on the roster and enrolled at the school.  

At the end of that year the player would have another open "retention" stake for the successive year, while other fan bases might have "transfer" stakes against that same athlete that are live.