Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide
The next few days could significantly influence the future landscape of college football. A critical deadline is approaching in landmark court cases, including House vs. NCAA, which insiders suggest might lead to the introduction of a revenue-sharing plan with players for the first time in the sport’s history.
With the NCAA likely aiming to settle the three major lawsuits against it, the settlement terms would probably include a commitment to share revenue with athletes. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban believes this could fundamentally transform the sport.
“The lawsuits may break college football.”
"The lawsuits may break college football."
Nick Saban gave his two cents on the state of NIL at the Jimmy Rane Foundation golf event. #alabamafootball #NickSaban #NIL pic.twitter.com/DotXZTT4gI
— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) May 17, 2024
“The No. 1 thing we need to do in college football is address all the lawsuits because they may break the NCAA and college football,” Saban said at the Jimmy Rane Charity Golf Banquet in Birmingham.
“So, that should be the first order of business,” he continued. “The second thing is to try to create a system that allows everyone the opportunity to participate in college athletics, including male and female athletes under Title IX.”
Saban supports the idea of sharing revenue with college football players to address the complexities introduced by the new NIL system. He even discussed the issue in Washington, D.C., at the invitation of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) during a roundtable discussion.
Estimates of the potential payout by the NCAA vary, but most insiders believe it could be in the billions if the NCAA loses these cases. This could be the first step toward a consensus on a complete reorganization of the sport, possibly leading to college football players being considered employees for the first time.
