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© John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne made an impassioned plea to Alabama fans to donate money to the Yea Alabama NIL collective this week. Here was Nick Saban's reaction to that...
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"Each year, it's gotten a little worse," he said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

"The first year we had name, image and likeness - four or five years ago [in 2021] - we had a $3 million [NIL pool] and everybody was happy. Then the next year it was $7 [million]. Then the next year it was $10 [million]. Then this year it's $13 [million]. Now they're looking at $20 [million]. Where does it end?," Saban asked.

"And the people who are supporting this, they really get no benefit for it, and I'm sure there's going to be some instances in the future where those people don't want to continue to support players who aren't there," Saban said.

"I mean, how would you feel if you gave $500,000 to your program and it was to play certain players, and those players all left after one year? You'd say, 'I don't know if I'm going to continue to do this.'"
(The Spun)
Filed Under: Alabama Sports
80 Comments
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Salviati11 months
"Each year, it's gotten a little worse," he said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

When I first got into assistant coaching, I jumped from job to job almost every year.

"My first head coach job – at Toledo – I was paid a couple hundred thousand and everybody was happy. I quit after one year. The next head coaching job it was half a million. I left after a few years. Then the next job it was $1 million. I coached at Miami for two years then quit. Then at Alabama, it's increased from $5 million to $10 million. Where does it end?," Saban asked.

"And the people who are supporting this, they really get no benefit for it, and I'm sure there's going to be some instances in the future where those people don't want to continue to support coaches who will leave," Saban said.

"I mean, how would you feel if you gave $500,000 to your program and it was to hire certain coaches, and those coaches all left after one year? You'd say, 'I don't know if I'm going to continue to do this.'"
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Vitus11 months
This is legit amazing. Thank you
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Buyouts, stupid. How hard is this concept to grasp?
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khodges19311 months
As much as i hate to say it Saban was worth every penny and more greatest run in college history
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awestruck11 months
Hey Nick, what's that in Dodge Chargers?
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Jack Daniel11 months
The market was cheaper when they were the only ones doing it
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thermal922111 months
College football is done in my opinion.
Nobody likes what is going on.
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roll to victory11 months
Def where the game is headed.
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Indiana Tiger11 months
In 2000 we paid a coach $1M...
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Gorilla Ball11 months
He’s not wrong
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diat15011 months
I don’t know how exactly we ended up here but it’s like they picked the worst possible system for anyone but the players.
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grizzlylongcut11 months
As usual, he’s correct.
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SOL211 months
Good point. How many people in the backwoods and swamps of the deep south have throwaway money. UT, A&M - maybe USC, OSU, Fla, Ore and Mich do. I don't think Ala, Miss, Ark and La do. NIL is truly throwaway money.
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lsuson11 months
System is broken
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WaydownSouth11 months
People contributing to NIL are the problem

Let them get money for Jersey Sales, autographs. Stop giving them 80k for appearing in one commercial.
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JakeFromStateFarm11 months
“Appearing in a commercial”. As Michigan just demonstrated, NIL is straight pay for play. Nothing more.
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FATBOY TIGER11 months
Bag man is out in the open now.
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DesScorp11 months
The only solution for this is to completely cut off all forms of paying players, end scholarships, and go to a Div III model. Wanna play? Enroll as a regular student in the fall, show up for spring tryouts, and good luck to you.

Want to just play football for money? Then make the NFL start and pay for their own minor league system. Completely separate colleges from the NFL. Weed out all the guys that are only on campus because they hope to play for the NFL one day. Real. Students. Only.
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Hounded111 months
If the power conferences go to a D III model, who get the billion $ in revenue these kids generate? Please explain.
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DeafVallyBatnR11 months
My argument is if major college football is making Billions. Why are they asking Alums to pay the NIL deals and donate to pay these players.
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BamaF111 months
Exactly. If I have to sit thru endless commercials and they are taking in this tv money because of it, I am not giving my hard earned money and getting nothing out it. I already paid to go to that school once! Sorry, I love my university, but I’m sick of everyone else in the world getting free money off my back.
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jmh572411 months
Same reason the major grocery stores ask if you want to donate your change to feed the hungry while they have all the food and money available.
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Blizzard of Chizz11 months
There is a reason things like restricted free agency and salary caps exist in professional sports. The current college model is exhibit A as to what happens when none of those guard rails are in place. There’s billions of dollars on the table and yet fans are being tasked with contributing to pay players who can take the cash and walk right back out the door. The fan gets nothing in return. The university doesn’t give them free tickets or use of sky boxes or prime parking either.
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TenWheelsForJesus11 months
Just treat it like an NFL contract. If you sign with a school and take NIL money, you can't transfer unless the school releases you.
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DesScorp11 months
"Slavery! Slavery! Free the slaves! Let my people transffuh!"
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surgicalvenom11 months
If you write a contract, players will unionize. Then comes profit sharing and the league and ESPN/FOX Do not want that.
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Bucky_B11 months
Des, youre am idiot
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GruntbyAssociation11 months
Amen brother!!
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bigtig11 months
Coach Saban is right on I know he stated this was not the reason he shut down coaching but I suspect it was NIL
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HagaDaga11 months
How about the regular fan Nick? Are they going to want to cheer on these millionaire players that dont care about the school as much as they do? There's always been a battle between alumni fans vs non-alumni fans. Alumni fans may walk away due to this more than the non-Alum, as they'll get more of that local "pro" league feel they've always wanted.
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NASA_ISS_Tiger11 months
Nick's right on this one. That's why he got out. It was becoming too much like the Pros. And Nick didn't do well in the Pros. That's why Bill Belichick is coming into college football. He excelled in the Pros and time will tell if he'll do well at UNC. He's already got an ally in the lacrosse coach at UNC and they are trying to recruit dual sport athletes. Should be interesting.
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Harry Boutte11 months
"He excelled in the Pros" lol
He never did shite without Tom Brady.
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rbtgoodson11 months
Dumb take. He won two Super Bowls as a DC and 6 as an HC, coached LT and the Crunch Bunch, discovered and coached Brady, Gronk, Moss, etc.
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khodges19311 months
He won two super bowls with the giants as the best d coordinator in football at the time without Brady
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