The legendary college football coach diversifies into professional hockey, joining the Nashville Predators ownership amid a challenging NHL season.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Seven-time national champion college football coach Nick Saban has entered the world of professional hockey, joining the Nashville Predators ownership group through a minority stake purchase announced Tuesday by franchise chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam.
Dream Sports Ventures LLC, an entity controlled by Saban and business partner Joe Agresti, recently closed on the deal, adding two accomplished businessmen to an ownership group comprised primarily of Predators season ticket holders and Nashville-area residents.
“I am really looking forward to having Coach Nick Saban and Joe Agresti as a part of our ownership group. Coach is one of the all-time greats in college football history and one of the winningest coaches in all of sports. We are excited to have him join us in our pursuit of championships on the ice in Nashville,” said Bill Haslam, Predators Chairman and Majority Owner.
The partnership represents a natural expansion for Saban and Agresti, who have built a successful business empire together beyond the football field. The duo are partners in Dream Motor Group, one of the fastest-growing luxury automotive dealer groups in the southeastern United States, with a portfolio spanning 10 dealerships across multiple states.
“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports,” Saban said. “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal and the opportunity to partner in the Predators with a class act like Bill Haslam created the perfect scenario for us.”
Saban joined ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast team following his January 2024 retirement from the position of Head Coach at the University of Alabama. His coaching resume includes a record seven NCAA football national championships — six at the University of Alabama and one at LSU — along with 11 SEC titles and 297 career victories, ranking sixth all-time in college football history.
Agresti, a New Jersey native and Rutgers University alumnus, serves as CEO of Dream Motor Group and oversees daily operations across all 10 locations. His automotive career began with an investment in a Baton Rouge dealership in 2004, followed by a Houston location in 2013.
He and Saban became business partners that same year, purchasing their first dealership together through Dream Motor Group in 2014.
Nick Saban’s Coaching Legacy
7 NCAA National Championships (6 Alabama, 1 LSU)11 SEC Conference Titles297 Career Wins (6th all-time in college football)College Football Hall of Fame InducteeCurrent ESPN College GameDay Analyst
The Predators are struggling through the 2025-26 NHL season. As of Tuesday, they were in last place in the Central Division of the Western Conference.