The 2024 season has already been tough for Alabama Crimson Tide fans. The year started with bidding farewell to their all-time favorite HC, Nick Saban. And now, their worst fears have come to life. Without Saban, the Crimson Tide are in a deep soup. The fans could still deal with the heartbreak that came with Alabama not making it to the playoffs. But now with the program asking for financial help? That’s the final nail in the coffin. 

It all came to a head on December 18, when Alabama Athletics Director Greg Byrne dropped a bombshell. In an open plea, he admitted the program was losing its edge in the NIL arms race. “Although we have been competitive from an NIL standpoint, our competition has us in their sights and are actively trying to surge ahead with NIL,” he said. Byrne also highlighted the aggressive tactics of other schools, saying they’re offering “million-dollar paydays” to lure away top talent. For a program once seen as untouchable in recruiting, this admission shook the fanbase to its core.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Alabama generated $199.9 million in revenue in Fiscal Year 2023, but the money is stretched thin. Byrne cited upcoming challenges like a $25 million line item for sharing revenue with athletes due to an antitrust settlement. For fans, the plea felt like a sign of desperation. Some even wondered aloud: ‘Would their former HC have let it get to this point?’ This sentiment was echoed on the Crain & Company podcast, where co-host Blain Crain bluntly asked, “If Nick was a head coach, does he do this?”

The other hosts, Jake Crain and David Cone, together blurted out, “I don’t think so.” After all, Saban had faced no financial crunch when Crimson Tide was plucking the best players from other schools. As Jake highlighted, “He [Saban] told him that makes us look weak; don’t put it out like that.” So now you know where the problem lies.

Analyst Jake then sheds light on what fans might be thinking of their favorite program: “I’m like wait a minute I just we didn’t make the playoff this year. We got a new coach, we’re paying him how much a year?…You’re paying this cat 10 million a year to go nine and three and not make the playoff why don’t you go ask him for some money instead of asking me for some money?”

Well, that’s true. If Byrne’s asking fans to donate to ‘Yea Alabama’ NIL, why not ask his HC, who is getting paid a fortune? Kalen DeBoer’s contract is huge—$87 million over eight years, starting with $10 million this year. But is it all worth it? Alabama used to dominate, but under DeBoer, they lost to Vanderbilt! The first time since 1984! With doubts already swirling about whether he can fill Saban’s shoes, it’s pretty audacious to ask for more money. This wouldn’t have happened under Saban. Now what does GOAT Saban have to say about this? 

Nick Saban continues with the NIL debate

Well, the former HC brilliantly sidestepped Byrne’s plea. Instead, he talked about how he still seems to be having issues with NIL. Back in March, Saban confessed how he in no way supports NIL. Referring to what his wife Terry believes, he stated, “She said, ‘All they care about is how much you’re gonna pay them, they don’t care about how much you’re gonna develop them, which is what we’ve always done, so why are we doing this?’” Months later, he still does not seem to be okay with the “pay for play” concept.

On Thursday, he said, “Each year, it’s gotten a little worse. Like the first year, we had name, image and likeness four, five years ago, we had $3 million. And everybody was happy. The next year it was $7 (million). The next year it’s $10 (million). And then this year it’s $13 (million). Now we’re looking at $20 (million). Where does it end?” Here’s why Saban believes that the present collective system is not at all sustainable. 

That’s what Jason Whitlock feels too, calling Greg Byrne’s plea a “recipe for disaster.” After all, paying $175 for children’s clothing to pay a player who will be leaving after the spring practice sounds silly, right? But Byrne is lucky here. Even though he no longer has Nick Saban around, he can look up to the Tennessee Volunteers, who failed while implementing a model to swoop in money from the fans.