Alabama Is Begging Fans For Money After Missing The College Football Playoff
12/18/2024 02:57 PM
It feels safe to say that Alabama has been more adversely affected by the advent of NIL than most college football programs. Gone are the days where Nick Saban could secure the top recruiting class in the country just by sitting down with the parents or showing off his trophy case and NFL contacts. And it's one of the many reasons that Saban retired in the first place.
Now that Alabama are one year removed from Saban's retirement and fresh off a missed appearance in the College Football Playoff, the football program is looking to its donors, hat in hand.
In a very length post on X today, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne made an impassioned plea to Alabama fans to donate money to the Yea Alabama NIL collective.
"Although we have been competitive from an NIL standpoint, our competition has us in their sights and are actively trying to surge ahead with NIL. You have heard examples of other teams using promises of million-dollar paydays to lure away our players or convince them not to come to Alabama. It is time for the Bama Nation to fight back," Byrne said in his letter.
Alabama fans,
— Greg Byrne (@Greg_Byrne) December 18, 2024
Over the past few years, there have been drastic changes in college athletics. We have been careful during this transitional period to protect our position at the top of college athletics while being mindful to listen, engage and learn from our generous…
But while it may have been a well-thought out message to the Alabama faithful to donate, the wider college football world has viewed it as an embarrassing plea for help.
The comments are filled to the brim with replies mocking Byrne and Alabama for reaching the point of begging donors to keep the program competitive:
"First Bama gets body bagged by BYU for AJ, then they miss the playoff and now this begging for more donations. The 30 for 30 on Bama's downfall will be tragic," one user gleefully replied.
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"Quiet baby. For decades people were scared to cheat at Alabama's level. Now that the playing field is even you cry and cry," wrote another.
"The players are getting paid because the schools and conferences are getting paid. Cover your OWN expenses. What's next? We need to pay the light bill in the weight room so "our" Crimson Tide and can work out?" a third remarked.
Suffice it to say, this probably would have been better served as an e-mail rather than a public post for all to see.
Related: Alabama's Athletic Director Not Happy With College Football Playoff Snub
