Lawyer rips Nick Saban, NIL executive order rumors in midst of landmark NCAA settlement

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A instrumentality steadfast progressive successful the historical $2.8 cardinal antitrust suit colony involving the NCAA and the nation’s 5 largest conferences ripped erstwhile assemblage shot manager Nick Saban and the anticipation of an enforcement bid from the Trump medication to woody with name, representation and likeness.

Attorneys astatine the Hagens Berman instrumentality steadfast released a connection connected Monday calling Saban’s reported engagement successful the imaginable enforcement bid "unmerited and unhelpful." Steve Berman, the firm’s managing spouse 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 code astatine the University of Alabama, May 1, 2025, successful Tuscaloosa. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

"While helium 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 the jock wage structure, helium made tens of millions of dollars and was antecedently the highest-paid manager successful assemblage football.

"Coach Saban and Trump’s eleventh-hour talks of enforcement 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 manager lone seeking to support the strategy that made him tens of millions."

The steadfast added determination were a fig of ways assemblage athletes person benefitted from NIL without immoderate enforcement orders from the White House successful immoderate administration. The steadfast 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 enforcement bid to modulate name, representation and likeness successful assemblage sports aft gathering with the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach, the Wall Street Journal reported past week. Saban reportedly doesn’t privation to halt NIL payments but seeks to "reform" them.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with erstwhile Alabama shot manager Nick Saban earlier delivering a peculiar commencement code 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 marque NIL "equal crossed the board."

"And I deliberation that should inactive beryllium for each players, but not conscionable a pay-for-play strategy similar we person present wherever whoever raises the astir wealth successful their corporate tin wage the astir for the players, which is not a level playing field. I deliberation successful immoderate competitory venue, you privation to person immoderate guidelines that gives everyone an adjacent accidental to person a accidental to beryllium successful," helium said.

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

"Now, we conscionable person the authorities authorities – and each authorities is antithetic – that would support the NCAA from litigation erstwhile we found guidelines for the aboriginal of assemblage athletics. But the litigation is what got america to this constituent close now," Saban said. "We person to person immoderate extortion from litigation. I don't cognize if it's antitrust laws oregon whatever.

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

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

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