Lawyer Rips Nick Saban, Nil Executive Order Rumors In Midst Of Landmark Ncaa Settlement

A rule patient progressive successful nan historical $2.8 cardinal antitrust suit colony involving nan NCAA and nan nation’s 5 largest conferences ripped erstwhile assemblage shot coach Nick Saban and nan anticipation of an executive bid from nan Trump management to woody pinch name, image and likeness.

Attorneys astatine nan Hagens Berman rule patient released a connection connected Monday calling Saban’s reported engagement successful nan imaginable executive bid "unmerited and unhelpful." Steve Berman, nan firm’s managing partner and co-founder, called Saban and Trump’s talks "unneeded."

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Nick Saban speaks earlier President Donald Trump arrives to springiness a commencement reside astatine nan University of Alabama, May 1, 2025, successful Tuscaloosa. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

"While he was a coach, Saban initially opposed NIL payments to athletes, pushing to adhd restrictions and red-tape done nationalist authorities to adhd ‘some benignant of control,’" Berman said successful a statement. "During his clip scrutinizing nan jock salary structure, he made tens of millions of dollars and was antecedently nan highest-paid coach successful assemblage football.

"Coach Saban and Trump’s eleventh-hour talks of executive orders and different meddling are conscionable much unneeded self-involvement. College athletes are spearheading historical changes and benefitting massively from NIL deals. They don’t request this unmerited interference from a coach only seeking to protect nan strategy that made him tens of millions."

The patient added location were a number of ways assemblage athletes person benefitted from NIL without immoderate executive orders from nan White House successful immoderate administration. The patient said it empowered athletes to gain their ain income, among different positives.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Saban’s rep for comment.

Trump was considering an executive bid to modulate name, image and likeness successful assemblage sports aft gathering pinch nan legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach, the Wall Street Journal reported past week. Saban reportedly doesn’t want to halt NIL payments but seeks to "reform" them.

Donald Trump shakes hands pinch erstwhile Alabama shot coach Nick Saban earlier delivering a typical commencement reside to University of Alabama graduates, May 1, 2025, successful Tuscaloosa. (Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News)

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In an quality connected Fox News Channel past year, Saban urged Congress to measurement successful and make NIL "equal crossed nan board."

"And I deliberation that should still beryllium for each players, but not conscionable a pay-for-play strategy for illustration we person now wherever whoever raises nan astir money successful their corporate tin salary nan astir for nan players, which is not a level playing field. I deliberation successful immoderate competitory venue, you want to person immoderate guidelines that gives everyone an adjacent opportunity to person a chance to beryllium successful," he said.

Saban said the NCAA "can handle" NIL and immoderate changes are necessary, but Congress "needs to" adhd "national legislation."

"Now, we conscionable person nan authorities government – and each authorities is different – that would protect nan NCAA from litigation erstwhile we found guidelines for nan early of assemblage athletics. But nan litigation is what sewage america to this constituent correct now," Saban said. "We person to person immoderate protection from litigation. I don't cognize if it's antitrust laws aliases whatever. 

"I'm not versed capable connected each that to really make a recommendation. But I cognize we request immoderate benignant of national modular and guidelines that allows group to enforce their ain rules."

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said "if anyone" tin thief modulate NIL, "it's President Trump."

Saban introduced Trump connected Thursday astatine an arena for Alabama's graduating students, wherever Trump gave a speech.

(Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

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In nan speech, Trump raved about Alabama's diversion programs, saying nan schoolhouse is simply a spot "where legends are made."

Fox News' Ryan Morik and nan Associated Press contributed to this report.

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