So Saban finally admits he retired because of NIL. Who would have thought. 
It’s funny how people keep wanting to restrict the players ability to make money. But no one talking about how the P2 greed is destroying CFB
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I also think the 12 team cfb playoffs played a bit of a factor as well.
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“I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80% of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?” Saban said.
Dont blame him. Hes already one of the greats at this point. I imagine the NIL salaries are insane and cut throat at Alabama. People jump ship at companies for an extra dollar an hour, I cant imagine the kids who are constantly getting offers whispered in their ears will be loyal.
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Agreed. Plus, almost every school will be after players he recruited.
If I was his age, with his level of success, I can see walking away if my industry was essentially going through a monumental reset.
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This is only applicable to the Alabama-esque recruits that have clout to generate NIL deals before stepping foot on the field
The vast majority of CFB and non-CFB athletes are not getting major NIL deals or any deal at all
I think he is full of crap. It isn’t the money, Alabama was paying TOP dollar under the table pre NIL. It is the ability to transfer every year.
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Pre NIL $$ and Post NIL $$ are two different animals.
The “price to pay” just skyrocketed and honestly, I don’t think a poor school like Alabama can keep up.
Not their media payout…but their marking and collective $$
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I disagree. NIL definitely is part of it.
The thing about NIL and The Portal is the fact that they’re intertwined.
For a school as competitive as Alabama (i.e. upper echelon), you essentially need NIL not only to GET recruits, but you also need NIL to KEEP recruits.
Because of NIL, schools that previously had no shot at competing with schools like Alabama, well… now they do have a shot if they just pay for the types of players that Alabama would get in the traditional recruiting process.
Saban is mad that he no longer has control over the show, which in essence is justfiied because he’s one of the greatest if not THE greatest coach in CFB history.
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I would almost feel sorry for college football coaches if they didn’t make ridiculous salaries
Unregulated legal money is always more than unregulated illegal money. When money is illegal, you have to be careful how you dispense it.
Trust me on this.
I’ve always thought players should be able to get paid. That’s why I’m appalled that the NFL gets its player development for free without providing a minor league alternative like the other major sports do. And that players go to college without meaningful requirements to do college level academic work.
College is an opportunity that lots of people don’t ever get. Sports is a route to that opportunity that most people can’t take. If players want to be compensated in other ways, they should have that opportunity, but not by commandeering taxpayer funded, government run institutions in order to become both rich and famous. I’m about ready to retire from college football myself.
Nil just let more schools join the $EC in playing the game. It’s no joke - anytime they got caught cheating big time the NCAA would hammer a school like Boise State for recruits sleeping on a hotel room floor for free with friends. Now it’s an open playing field.
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The era of under the table bag men is gone. Its not a surprise certain coaches retired quickly within the nil era.