Sports

Nick Saban Asked About Alabama’s Global Brand As He’s Now Landing No. 1 Recruits From European Countries, Too

#College Football
by
An Alabama logo on a towel worn by a football player.

Getty Image


The Alabama football brand is unlike most we see in college sports. Few programs compare to the Crimson Tide in terms of reach, with maybe only Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas boasting brands recognized by fans globally.

While speaking at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, Nick Saban touched on that worldwide notoriety and how he’s been able to use it to land commitments from countries all over the globe.

He kicked off the day with a recap of his recent trip to Italy. A number of SEC fans noticed the head coach on his vacation, taking the moment to snap photos, shake hands, or in some cases, talk trash, with Saban.

It wasn’t just other Americans enjoying their vacations that recognized the Crimson Tide leader, though. He commented on a specific visit to the Ferrari plant in Maranello in his opening statement.

“We got ‘Roll Tided’ everywhere we went,” Saban said. “We went to the Ferrari plant. Those cats don’t even speak English and we got Roll Tide.”

Italians tuning into Alabama football games? It seems farfetched, but it might not be as surprising as you’d think looking at the Tide’s roster.

Alabama secures commitment from top recruit in Germany, boasts players from Australia and Finland.

We’ve seen the success that Saban’s had in the US. Alabama has secured a top five class each year since 2010. Of those 14 classes, 12 have either been No. 1 or No. 2.

Now, though, he’s going for the international title.

Coach Saban was asked about his ability to bring players from overseas to Tuscaloosa. A reporter from a UK publication asked, “As the game grows outside of the U.S., how necessary and how realistic is it that your recruitment expands with that?”

The reporter noted Alabama’s connection to players from Germany and Finland to which Saban added, “Our punter is also from Australia.”

Here’s what the head coach had to say.

“I think things are obviously a little more global maybe than they have ever been. I think football is creating a little more of an international brand in terms of where they are playing, who is playing, how they are playing.

“We have had the opportunity to get to know these young men that we recruited from Europe, really, because they came and spent a significant amount of time with us…

“The players that we have that are international players on our team right now, and the ones that we have recruited in the past, they have all made a significant contribution.”

Saban attributes it to the globalization of the sport as a whole, though it’s obvious that when these international players visit the US, Alabama is on the mind.

Earlier this month, he landed a commitment from German defender Justin Okoronkwo. The linebacker is the top player in the country, and Saban said he’d be a five-star prospect if he played in the States.

While many are beginning to doubt the legacy of Nick Saban and the machine he’s turned the Crimson Tide into, it’s evident that his successes are seen far beyond the SEC footprint.