Nick Saban rebuffs Donald Trump’s proposed college sports commission, raising doubts about its necessity and real impact.
Legendary Coach Nick Saban Questions The Need For President Donald Trump’s Proposed College Sports Commission
Now more than ever, college sports—football in particular—operate like the Wild West. U.S. President Donald Trump believes the transfer portal and NIL are hot-button issues that need tweaking.
It’s been reported that Trump is calling on former Alabama Crimson Tide head gridiron coach Nick Saban to help sort out some of the mess, along with Texas Tech chairman Cody Campbell.
Bama247’s Mike Rodak wrote Tuesday on X: “Nick Saban, speaking Tuesday at his Nick’s Kids golf tournament in Birmingham, reiterates: ‘I know there’s been a lot of stuff out there about some commission or whatever. I don’t think we need a commission. I’ve said that before. I think we need — we know what the issues are, we just have to have people who are willing to move those and solve those and create some solutions for some of those issues.’
“‘I’m all for being a consultant to anybody who would think that my experience would be beneficial to helping some of those solutions.'”
Nick Saban, speaking Tuesday at his Nick’s Kids golf tournament in Birmingham, reiterates: “I know there’s been a lot of stuff out there about some commission or whatever. I don’t think we need a commission. I’ve said that before. I think we need — we know what the issues are,…
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) May 20, 2025
Rodak continued on with Saban’s comments in a thread underneath that post.
“Saban: ‘I know President Trump is very interested in athletics,'” Rodak transcribed. “‘He’s very interested in college athletics. He’s very interested in maintaining the idea that people go to college to create value for the future in terms of how they develop as people, students, graduation rate as well as having a balanced, competitive playing field.
“‘If I can be a consultant to anyone who might be able to help the future of college athletics, I would be more than happy to do that.”
Saban is about as much of an expert as you can find regarding college football. He was selected as part of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class in January, roughly a year after he decided to call it quits on a coaching career that spanned 28 seasons.
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With Alabama, Saban put up a 206-29 record, winning nine SEC championships and six national titles in Tuscaloosa. While in charge of the Crimson Tide, Saban stacked recruiting classes and talent like no other, producing 52 first-round draft picks, the most in college football history.
The sport has changed, even during the twilight of his time at Alabama, and Saban hopes to be part of whatever keeps it on the rails.
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