Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne and former Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban will participate in a name, image, and likeness (NIL) roundtable in Washington, D.C. next week with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
According to a press release from Cruz, the discussion will focus on "the urgent need for Congress to find consensus and pass bipartisan legislation to codify name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for student-athletes." Cruz released draft legislation to codify NIL regulations in August 2023 that aims to create a national standard form contract for NIL agreements, among other things.
Saban, 72, retired in February after a legendary career. He has worked with U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) to remedy the issues brought on by NIL, which contributed in part to his decision to get out of coaching.
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The full list of roundtable discussion guests, per the announcement, are:
U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips
College athletics stars Haley Cavinder and Hanna Cavinder
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne
The Collective Association president Russell White
NIL attorney Darren Heitner
Saban has previously endorsed Tuberville and Manchin in their efforts to solve the chaos created in college sports by NIL.
"He's all-in on it," Tuberville said last year of Saban.
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