re: How does Saban view the Bama fanbase?

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Alabama is really profiting from playing the USNWR game. They're good at it too. I think it is probably a good idea on their part, although it isn't necessarily reflective of where the schools are at.
For example, IIRC, Auburn is harder to get into and generally provides a more valuable degree. So why would Alabama be ranked higher? Because they know what USNWR wants, and they play to it. Merit Scholars get ridiculous money to come to Bama, it is a good plan. Huge amounts of investment also gets you USNWR points, which is something Bama has definitely done over the last decade.

Perhaps the most telling example is Alabama's law school, which has insanely jumped a number of better institutions. FWIW, I think Alabama's law school is good, but it is in a state without a major law industry, and it doesn't feed top firms in other states. The clerkship numbers aren't that impressive, and the faculty doesn't come close to some of the schools it has jumped. The student body also lags in a lot of areas over schools it is presently ahead of. But again pumping money into the right places, getting high satisfaction reports from local professionals and former students, etc., earns you US News points. Alabama is shrewd, while other schools are focusing on more amorphous goals which don't translate to rankings (like diversity statistics or clinics).

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Exactly. Since 2003, UA has made an effort to cater to improving stats to rank higher. Many of the measurables used are irrelevant fluff, but UA invests in the fluff to help them rank higher. It is nothing more and nothing less including the amount UA pays merit scholars to come to UA.

UA needs the fluff, but in the real world a bama degree pays a lot less than an AU degree overall.

Nice explanation for the uninformed BTW.