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Alabama AD Asks For NIL Support After Transfer Losses Forcing Fans To Decide On What’s Important

#University of Alabama
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A view from outside Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

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Alabama AD Greg Byrne was heard promoting the Crimson Tide’s NIL program after a string of transfer losses. The departures come following a series of offseason events.

First was the retirement of legendary head coach Nick Saban, sparking somewhat unexpected staff turnover following a College Football Playoff appearance.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Tide will be led by someone other than Saban. Arguably the greatest to ever do it, he won six titles in his 17 seasons at the helm in Tuscaloosa.

Now, Kalen DeBoer takes over after leading Washington to a national championship appearance. While he has no direct ties to the SEC, his success on the football field is proven.

Prior to leading the Huskies to that title matchup, he led his alma mater Sioux Falls to three NAIA championships.

DeBoer not only has the task of filling Saban’s huge shoes, but he’s been hit with immediate adversity in this new age of college football.

Alabama has seen a number of transfers and recruiting class decommitments following the retirement announcement. Those include the portal decisions of Freshman All-American Caleb Downs and five-star offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor.

And the exodus might not be over! Opposing coaches smell blood, and they’re doing all they can to lure top talent away from T-Town.

While DeBoer is likely to bring in a few newcomers of his own, he won’t be able to fully replace those losses alone.

That’s why AD Greg Byrne was heard advertising Alabama’s NIL collective in an interview with Paul Finebaum this week.

“We try to be progressive in our NIL approach,” Byrne said while sporting a YEA Alabama sweatshirt. “We’ve had almost 1,000 new members just since we announced coach DeBoer. We have to continue to get people to sign up for that because it’s a reality of the world we’re facing.”

Fans offer NIL solutions amid transfer exodus

Crimson Tide fans, unsurprisingly, have answered the bell.

As Byrne noted in that conversation with Finebaum, there’s been an immediate uptick in NIL support. He’s hoping more will follow suit.

It’s a tricky topic, however, for many programs as giving doesn’t guarantee success. Asking your average fan to dedicate part of his or her paycheck to the initiative is often difficult.

Many of the team’s supporters are forced to make a decision on what’s most important in their lives. Does football outweigh your yearly charity donation? Does it take away from a retirement account or your kid’s college fund?

Is the football program’s success worth it?

This Alabama fan believes so, and he has the NIL solution.

Football is religion in Tuscaloosa. Support the Tide, not the church!

Jokes aside, it’s a concept that both fans and administrations have to navigate in the sport’s new landscape. We’ll see if Alabama’s current giving can lead to sustained football success as it deals with life after Saban.