The University of Alabama has opened its doors to alumni members to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness.
According to an announcement from Alabama Athletics, the school is unveiling “Alabama Always.”
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It is the first group licensing initiative for former student-athletes, coaches, and other individuals. The announcement came Wednesday as athletics director Greg Byrne continues to provide ways to benefit everyone in the program.
“The creation of the Alabama Always program is another example of the commitment and care we have for our student-athletes,” Byrne said. “We are excited to offer the opportunity for all of our former players across all sports to cobrand their NIL with the Alabama brand for the rest of their lives, while also creating a way for our fans to support them long after they leave campus. So many exceptional student-athletes have become legends over the 130-plus-year history of our athletics program, and they will forever be members of the Crimson Tide family.”
Nick Saban, Alabama’s head football coach, is excited about his former players having this opportunity.
“As I’ve said before, our players aren’t just my guys for three years, four years or five years,” Saban said. “They are my guys forever. Alabama Always is a tangible way to show our former student-athletes how much we care about them and want them to feel part of the legacy they helped create at The University of Alabama.”
Former Crimson Tide legends who opt into the program will have the ability to profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL) on merchandise in conjunction with the Alabama brand for their lifetime. Several legends from the football program have opted in, including Donta Hightower, Marcell Dareus, Reggie Ragland, Johnny Musso, Sylvester Croom, Dwight Stephenson, and Courtney Upshaw. The legends are back with a chance to pour into the athletics and benefit from their labor.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
