Former Alabama football national champion coach Nick Saban is now a minority owner of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
Saban, 74, recently closed on the purchase of a minority stake in the Predators through his entity Dream Sports Ventures LLC, the team announced Tuesday.
“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.”
The Predators are valued at an estimated $1.6 billion, according to Forbes.
Predators majority owner Bill Haslam said he was “really looking forward” to having Saban, and partner Joe Agresti, join the franchise’s ownership group. Haslam, the former governor of Tennessee, is the younger brother of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam.
“Coach is one of the all-time greats in college football history and one of the winningest coaches in all of sports,” Haslam said. “We are excited to have him join us in our pursuit of championships on the ice in Nashville.”
Saban is widely considered the greatest head coach in college football history. The former Kent State safety coached Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama from 1990-2023, winning seven national championships and finishing his career with a 292-71-1 overall record.
He was named the SEC Coach of the Year five times, and was twice named the Walter Camp Coach of the Year, AP Coach of the Year, Paul Bryant Coach of the Year and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.
Saban also coached in the NFL, serving four seasons as defensive coordinator for the Browns from 1991-94, and two seasons as head coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06.