The ongoing debate over how to compensate college athletes has found a new and surprising point of consensus between two of the sport’s most influential figures. In a joint interview, Colorado coach Deion Sanders and retired Alabama coach Nick Saban agreed that players should be paid directly for their participation in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Their proposal is a direct response to the chaotic financial landscape of college football, where multi-million dollar television contracts are the norm but compensation for players remains a central point of contention.
The idea, first pitched by Coach Sanders, calls for an NFL-style bonus structure for players who make it into the postseason tournament, with larger payouts for teams that advance. Sanders argued that this system would bring “equality” and “even” the playing field. This proposal directly addresses the massive financial disparity in college football. The CFP alone generates more than $1.3 billion annually in television revenue, with the vast majority of that money going to conferences and their member schools.
Nick Saban, a long-time critic of the lack of structure in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, supported the proposal. He compared the idea to the NFL’s playoff bonus system, where players on the winning Super Bowl team received $171,000 last year. This support from a figure who has been a pillar of the traditional college football model gives the proposal significant weight. Both coaches agreed that the current NIL system is a “mess,” with Sanders claiming that only a handful of players are truly benefiting from lucrative deals while many others receive little.
Their comments highlight the urgent need for a more structured and equitable system for compensating athletes. While NIL deals have allowed players to earn money from endorsements and appearances, they do not directly compensate them for their athletic performance, which is what generates the immense revenue for the schools and conferences. This new proposal for CFP compensation marks a significant step toward a system where players are no longer just amateurs in a multi-billion-dollar business but are recognized and rewarded for their contributions.
