Daughter Kristen Gets Nostalgic on “Classic Gameday Commercial” as Nick Saban Prepares for his New Role as ESPN Analyst

Nick Saban may have retired as Alabama’s HC after 17 years, but his career in sports is far from over. Just one month after his retirement in January, he found a new job as an analyst on ESPN’s “College GameDay.” As he readies himself to fit into his new role, his daughter reminded him of his past prowess when he appeared in one of the most engaging College GameDay ads. 

Kristen Saban is an ardent supporter of her father’s works and has been present with him in almost every major function, including when he addressed the A-Day crowd in April. She recently dug up a nostalgic commercial of her father over a decade ago to show his credibility and popularity with the media and fans. 

Nick Saban is no stranger to College GameDay commercials but according to his daughter, the 2010 ad stood out among the rest. In her recent IG story on June 6, Kristen Saban posted a nostalgic throwback video of her father in an ESPN’s College GameDay ad. She called the commercial an all-time “CLASSIC GAMEDAY commercial… The acting, the drama…masterpiece.”

In the commercial, former Texas HC Mack Brown and Saban were filmed playing a game of Jenga. As they played, Chris Fowler entered the scene and tried his hands on the game saying he used to be a Jenga master. But everything collapsed leading to Saban sweeping the blocks off of the table while Brown brought up another competitive game challenging Saban as he said, “Hungry Hippos Texas style baby! It’s on.” This ad and the interest it garnered proves that Nick Saban has a knack for attracting the crowd’s attention, making his transition from a HC to an analyst a potentially bright move. 

Nick Saban receives endorsement from ESPN

Nick Saban’s transition to ESPN is not surprising given his experience in media. Aside from working as an analyst, he’ll also assist in various events on ESPN’s platforms, including the NFL Draft and SEC media days. Saban has expressed his commitment and enthusiasm for his role saying, “ESPN and ‘College GameDay’ have played such an important role in the growth of college football… I’ll do my best to offer additional insights and perspectives to contribute to ‘College GameDay,’ the ultimate Saturday tradition for college football fans.”

Nick Saban joins the current cast of Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Pat McAfee, and more. As ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said, “Nick Saban is a singular, iconic presence in college football. He is also an extremely gifted communicator who will immediately add even more credibility, authority, and entertainment value to ESPN, including our esteemed ‘College GameDay’ show.” Given his successful tenure as a football head coach, ESPN found a gem in Nick Saban.