Alabama Crimson Tide Athletic Director Greg Byrne called on fans to donate to the school’s name, image and likeness (NIL) fund in a message on 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 in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“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 supporters, proud alumni and unrivaled fans to make sure that we protect our great traditions here at Alabama,” Byrne’s message read. “But there’s a time for talk and a time for action. Now is a time for action.
“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.
“Under the new model of college athletics, which is the result of an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA, a university can succeed if their fans purchase authentic NIL from student-athletes. The good news is when @yea_ala was created last year, the focus was on providing our fans with a legitimate product rather than booster inducements. @yea_ala delivers exclusive content and access you cannot get anywhere else. We also have a plan to grow @yea_ala’s offerings with more videos, features and news in 2025.”
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Byrne said donating to the fund was about keeping stars with the Crimson Tide so they do not go elsewhere for a better deal.
The University of Alabama unveiled the first banner honoring the school’s first Final Four appearance on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 in Coleman Coliseum. (Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“At Alabama, we’ve not measured ourselves against our competition,” he added. “We are the standard, and that measurement is against the mirror and against a rich and proud history, but it’s impossible to ignore what is taking place in college athletics. Hungry fan bases are acting decisively to give their respective programs competitive advantages. We must respond.”
More than a dozen football players entered the transfer portal when it opened on Tuesday, including wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.
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Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer during the game against the Mercer Bears at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov 16, 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images)
However, the team received a few commitments through their own endeavors into the transfer portal. The school signed Florida defensive lineman Kelby Collins and Utah cornerback Cameron Calhoun.
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