Alabama Crimson Tide athletic director Greg Byrne asked fans to donate to the school’s name, image and likeness (NIL) fund in a message Wednesday.
Byrne posted his message to fans on social media.
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Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne makes his way through the crowd after an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“In recent years, there have been drastic changes in college athletics. We have been careful during this transition period to protect our position at the top of college athletics while at the same time being mindful to listen, engage and learn from our generous supporters, proud alumni, and unparalleled fans to ensure we protect our great traditions here in Alabama,” Byrne’s message read. “But there is a time to speak and a time to act. Now is the time to act.
“While we have been competitive from an NIL standpoint, our competition has their sights set on us and is actively trying to move forward with NIL. You’ve heard examples of other teams using promises of million-dollar payouts to lure our players or convince them not to come. to Alabama. It’s time for the Bama Nation to fight back.
“Under the new model of college athletics, which is the result of an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA, a university can succeed if its fans buy authentic NIL from student-athletes. The good news is that when @yea_ala was created last year , the focus Our goal was to provide our fans with a legitimate product instead of booster incentives. @yea_ala offers exclusive content and access you can’t get anywhere else We also have a plan to grow @yea_ala offerings with more. videos, features and news 2025.”
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Byrne said donating to the fund was intended to keep stars in the Crimson Tide so they don’t go elsewhere in search of a better deal.
The University of Alabama unveiled the first banner in honor of the school’s first Final Four appearance on Friday, October 11, 2024 at Coleman Coliseum. (Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“In Alabama, we haven’t measured ourselves against our competition,” he added. “We are the standard, and that measurement goes against the mirror and against a rich and proud history, but it is impossible to ignore what is happening in college athletics. Hungry fan bases are acting decisively to give competitive advantages to their respective programs. We must respond.”
More than a dozen football players entered the transfer portal when it opened Tuesday, including wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer during the game against the Mercer Bears at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 16, 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images)
However, the team received some commitments through their own efforts in the transfer portal. The school signed Florida defensive lineman Kelby Collins and Utah cornerback Cameron Calhoun.
