In a twist that feels more like a headline from The Onion than real life, former Alabama football coach and SEC legend Nick Saban is teaming up with former President Donald Trump to “save” college sports. Yes, you read that right.
According to a report from The Athletic, Saban and Texas Tech Board of Regents chairman Cody Campbell will co-chair a new presidential commission backed by Trump. The goal? To untangle the increasingly bizarre world of college athletics — from NIL to the transfer portal to conference realignment and even Title IX.
Wait, what?
For those who have been blissfully unaware of just how strange the world of college sports has gotten, here’s the deal:
- Players can now earn millions through Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals.
- Schools are essentially competing for athletes like free agents.
- Programs like Kentucky are forming LLCs to manage athlete branding and money.
- Boosters run collectives that sometimes rival pro team budgets.
- And everyone from senators to athletic directors is begging for a rulebook.
Enter Nick Saban. The same man who once said, “You can basically buy players.” Back in 2024, before retiring, Saban was sounding the alarm on the unchecked growth of NIL, expressing concern that the system was becoming a bidding war.
"“The first year we had name, image and likeness … everybody was happy,” Saban said. “Then the next year it was $7 million, then $10 million. Then this year it's $13 million. Now they're looking at $20 million. I mean, where does it end?”"Nick Saban
Now, he’ll be one of the most powerful voices on a commission being taken seriously by both sides of the political aisle. Even Tom McMillen, a former Democratic congressman and longtime advocate for reform, called it a move worth applauding.
So… What does this mean for Kentucky basketball and football?
In short, everything and nothing — all at once.
Mark Pope is trying to rebuild Kentucky basketball in the age of NIL, and without the current rules, there’s a good chance his roster would look completely different. Would Travis Perry still be at Kentucky? Would the Wildcats be creating an LLC just to keep pace with top programs? Who would even be on the roster since it's mostly transfers? Would Jasper Johnson have a Morgan & Morgan shirt on while getting delivered pizza in front of a Paul Miller Ford sign if it wasn't for NIL?
It’s hard to say for some of those, but highly unlikely for the announcement scenario. And who are we to tell young men how they can make money off their own talent?
Meanwhile Mark Stoops is trying to reshape his roster as well both due to transfers out and transfers in. It really is like NFL free agency. Where do we go from here is anyone's guess.
What we do know is this: Saban now has the president’s ear. And Saban has made it crystal clear he believes the current system is unsustainable. If this committee gains traction, Kentucky’s entire NIL approach — and the way every school operates — could be rewritten.
The timing is... surreal
All of this is happening while college sports are in a full-blown identity crisis. Schools are jumping conferences, athletes are switching teams mid-season, and coaches are trying to stay relevant in a landscape that changes by the month.
Kentucky might have one of the most innovative NIL setups in the country, but even that may not be enough. If federal oversight becomes reality, the days of Wild West NIL might be numbered.
Still, most of the sporting world seems oddly optimistic about this commission. In a political climate where few agree on anything, the dysfunction in college sports has become a rare bipartisan concern.
The bottom line for the NCAA and college sports
Nick Saban stepping into the political arena to co-chair a committee led by Donald Trump wasn’t on anyone’s 2025 bingo card — but here we are.
And in a world where Kentucky basketball is run like a startup, athletes are earning six figures before stepping foot on campus, and coaches are watching their rosters reshuffle overnight… maybe a little structure isn’t the worst idea.
Just don’t be surprised if Kentucky basketball is at the center of whatever comes next.