“He created a brand for himself” - $70M worth Nick Saban commends Bryce Young in comparison to current pay-for-play system

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been vocal about the current NIL system. He believes NIL will have a detrimental impact on college athletics.

During his courtroom appearance at Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Saban highlighted the need for regulation in the NIL landscape. Using former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young as an example, Saban stated,

“A guy like [former Bama quarterback] Bryce Young, who had several national commercials, they didn't come from a collective. They were because he created a brand for himself, which is what name, image and likeness was supposed to be.”

Saban expressed reservations about the current "pay-for-play" system, where collective fundraising efforts determine players' earnings. He believes this approach creates an uneven playing field, favoring those with greater financial resources.

Worth $70 million (as per MARCA), Saban advocated for replacing the existing "collective-driven" model with a "revenue-sharing" approach to ensure fair distribution of resources.

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Nick Saban calls on Congress to aid NCAA fix NIL

The Alabama coaching legend has urged Congress to step in and address the ongoing issues surrounding the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) system in college sports. In an interview with Fox Sports, Saban emphasized the need for legislative intervention to rectify the situation.

Saban threw light on the disparate nature of state legislation governing NIL, stressing the importance of establishing uniform guidelines to protect the NCAA from potential litigation.

"I know we need some kind of federal standard and guidelines that allows people to enforce their own rules," Saban said.

While many believe that Nick Saban has an anti-NIL stance, the 72-year-old underscored the need to transition from the existing collective-driven model to a more equitable revenue-sharing system. According to Saban, the primary objective of NIL should be to empower athletes to build their personal brands.

Saban's advocacy for NIL reform comes at a time when stakeholders grapple with the complexities of balancing commercial opportunities for athletes with the integrity of amateur competition.

"You go to college to create value for your future, and I want the quality of life for student-athletes to be the best it can be. And I think they should have a seat at the table," Saban added.

Congress is weighing potential solutions to address the shortcomings of the current NIL framework, and Saban's voice adds considerable weight to the conversation.