Saban unsure of NIL impact: 'There's no precedent for it'

Alabama head coach Nick Saban doesn't want to predict the impact of college athletes being able to profit off of their name, image, and likeness.

"Anything that I say now, because there's no precedent for it, you don't really know how it's going to affect things," Saban said during SEC media days on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Alex Scarborough.

The seven-time national title winner made the comment just a day after saying quarterback Bryce Young is approaching nearly $1 million in NIL deals.

Saban is concerned about the disparity of compensation among teammates creating an uneven playing field.

"Everything that we've done in college athletics in the past has always been equal," he said. "Everybody's had equal scholarship, equal opportunity. Now that's probably not going to be the case. Some positions, some players will have more opportunities than others."

The NCAA passed a temporary NIL policy earlier this month that allows student-athletes to take on endorsements, sponsorships, and do autograph signings, all while maintaining their collegiate eligibility.

Saban believes that educating his players about the unequal marketing opportunities will lead to an "opportunity for our team's success that people are not looking over their shoulder at what somebody else does or doesn't do."

Many Crimson Tide players have signed endorsement deals since the policy took effect. Those opportunities include partnerships with Cameo, JenLoop, and PSD Underwear, according to Michael Casagrande of Al.com.