Former Alabama coach Nick Saban on Wednesday seemed to downplay the need for a potential presidential commission on college sports that he might lead, while also saying a solution requires people getting together to push something forward.
Saban, appearing on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” was asked about reports that he and Texas Tech board chair and booster Cody Campbell could co-chair the potential commission from President Trump, which has not been announced but is in the planning stages, people briefed on the situation told The Athletic.
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“I don’t know a lot about the commission, first of all,” Saban said. “Second of all, I don’t think we really need a commission. I think a lot of people know exactly what the issues are in college football and exactly what we need to do to fix them. The key to the drill is getting people together so we can move it forward.”
Presidential commissioners do not have the power to enact changes, but they can recommend law changes to Congress or rules for organizations.
Saban said the idea for presidential involvement came together when Trump delivered the commencement at Alabama two weeks ago, and that it was the president who brought up the idea.
“(Trump) said, ‘All my friends are saying college football’s really messed up. Let’s get together so we can figure out how to fix it,’” Saban recalled. “So that’s how this all got started.”
Saban reiterated many of his previous stances: that marketing NIL deals are good and pay-for-play is a problem, that there needs to be national NIL rules rather than individual state rules, and his concern that more money going to football and basketball will take away from Olympic sports.
“I think we know how to do it, not just me but a lot of people,” he said. “We’ve just got to get people together to do it.”
The NCAA and Power 4 conferences have lobbied Congress for several years, seeking national NIL legislation and antitrust exemptions. Multiple attempts at bills have stalled or failed to get off the ground. Some people around college sports hope a presidential commission will bring more attention and focus on doing something. But there remains no clear timeline on when the potential commission could fully come together.
(Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
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