VIDEO: ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt Explains Why Nick Saban is Underpaid
The biggest story in college football this week came Tuesday when Alabama head coach Nick Saban signed a contract extension that will keep him in Tuscaloosa through the 2024 season.
The deal doesn't increase his base salary or talent fee but it did pay him a $4 million signing bonus plus an additional $4 million spread out over the final three years of the contract. The reaction around college football has been mixed, but his salary always restarts the conversation about how much coaches are paid compared to students and school administrators.
Anyone in Tuscaloosa can see the impact he's had on the city and the University of Alabama in the 10+ years he's led the football program. The economic and academic growth far outweighs what's paid to Saban each year, and the residents of Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas see it first hand.
Rarely, however, do you hear someone in the national media defend the salary by arguing that it's too low. Scott Van Pelt, host of ESPN's Sportscenter, used his '1 Big Thing' segment to explain why he feels Saban is underpaid as one of the top earners in football.
"Look at the total picture and then look at the actual bottom line," Van Pelt said to close out the segment. "Alabama is still getting a bargain in Nick Saban, and I guarantee you that they know that."
Watch everything he said on Spostscenter in the video at the top of the page.