Former Alabama coach Nick Saban becomes minority owner of NHL’s Nashville Predators

Nick Saban is getting into the NHL.

The longtime former Alabama head coach and current analyst on ESPN’s “College GameDay” purchased a minority stake in the Nashville Predators, the team announced on Tuesday. Saban purchased the share alongside his business partner, Joe Agresti. It’s unclear how much of the team the two own.

“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports,” Saban said in a statement. “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. The Preds are a great organization with a fantastic brand, and we are excited to be part of the future success of the franchise.”

Saban retired from Alabama after the 2023 season, which marked his 17th leading the Crimson Tide. He finished his coaching career with seven national championships, all but one of which were with Alabama. Saban has since joined ESPN and “College GameDay.”

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Saban is a noted Predators fan, too. He attended a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in a Predators jersey in 2017, and he even showed up for a day at the team’s development camp earlier this summer.

“I am really looking forward to having Coach Nick Saban and Joe Agresti as a part of our ownership group,” Predators majority owner Bill Haslam said in a statement. “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.”

Haslam, who served as the governor of Tennessee from 2011-2019, purchased the Predators in 2023 for about $880 million. The team is valued at about $1.6 billion, which made it the 24th-most valuable team in the NHL, according to Forbes. By comparison, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most valuable team in the league at about $4.4 billion.

The Predators will enter Wednesday’s game with the Carolina Hurricanes with a 13-15-4 record, which is the worst in the central division. The team has made the playoffs just once in the past four seasons.