Nick Saban, College Football Leaders Take to Washington in Search of National NIL Legislation

College athletics took center stage in Washington D.C. this week as Nick Saban, Greg Sankey and more participated in the annual SEC On The Hill event.

Additionally, the state of Arizona hosted the Future of College Athletics summit in D.C. where new NCAA president Charlie Baker petitioned congress for national uniformity in relation to name, image and likeness in college athletics.

It was an honor to host @UofAlabama Coach Nick Saban, President Stuart Bell, Athletic Director @Greg_Byrne, and SEC Commissioner @GregSankey to discuss the importance of college athletics and how to protect student athletes. pic.twitter.com/gdzSZc9vcH
— House GOP Policy (@GOPpolicy) June 8, 2023

According to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, SEC Officials met with leaders of their own delegations with a few special one-off meetings scheduled as well.

Saban also met with Majority Leader Steve Scalise in conjunction with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne, University of Alabama president Stuart Bell, LSU head coach Brian Kelly and LSU athletic director Scott Woodward.

The Alabama head football coach has been steadfast, since its inception, that college athletics need unified, national rules when it comes to NIL. He also met with Alabama Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville. Both Britt and Tuberville have ties to college football. Britt's husband, Wesley, played at Alabama from 2000-2004, and Tuberville was a college coach for four decades, including a stint at Auburn from 1999-2008.

Started the morning with a great meeting with Coach Nick Saban and @SEC Commissioner @GregSankey to discuss the challenges that the current patchwork of NIL systems poses to the future of collegiate athletics. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/QLuGgCzNHA
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) June 8, 2023

Great to see my friend of 30+ years Nick Saban and @UofAlabama's great President Stuart Bell.

We are going to fix the broken NIL system once and for all—and save college sports. pic.twitter.com/oWW0vcolFK
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) June 8, 2023

As the landscape currently stands, universities are beholden to state laws as it relates to NIL, giving an advantage to schools in states such as Missouri, Texas and Arkansas that allow athletes to be compensated before enrolling at the university.

Baker and the college athletics world are hopeful that Congress will be able to come together and pass a national bill by the end of the year, before the next presidential election cycle gets underway.

Until that happens, Saban, Kelly and the rest of the college football coaches will continue to live in the Wild West of unregulated NIL ruling college sports.

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