When it comes to the new era of college football-where NIL deals and revenue sharing are rewriting the rules-Alabama is facing a challenge that can't be solved with tradition or trophies. And according to Paul Finebaum, one of the most well-known voices in SEC country, the Crimson Tide may be falling behind in a race that’s increasingly about financial firepower.
Finebaum recently joined The Matt Barrie Show and didn’t hold back when discussing the shifting landscape of college athletics. His take? Auburn might be better positioned than Alabama to thrive in this new world-not because of coaching or recruiting, but because of something far more straightforward: billionaire backing.
“We’re talking billionaires now,” Finebaum said. “And outside of Texas and Texas A&M, the list of billionaires starts to get really thin.
I can tell you in the state of Alabama, there are two billionaires-only two-and they’re both Auburn supporters. Alabama doesn’t have a billionaire.”
That’s a stark reality for a program that’s long been considered the gold standard in college football. Alabama has built its dynasty on elite coaching, relentless recruiting, and an unmatched culture of winning.
But NIL has introduced a new variable-one that can’t be coached around. It's about money.
Big money. And Finebaum made it clear: billionaires can move the needle in ways few others can.
“If you’re worth $800 million, sure, you can throw some money around,” he added. “But it’s a lot easier if you’re a billionaire. You’re not just putting your father’s name on a business school-you’re giving your school’s NIL fund whatever it needs.”
That’s the new reality. And it’s not one you can fix with a phone call to the SEC office. As Finebaum put it, “You can’t print money unless you’ve got the keys to the printing press.”
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne seems to understand just how urgent the situation has become. Back in late 2024, Byrne issued a passionate call to Crimson Tide supporters, urging them to help keep Alabama competitive in the NIL arms race.
“We’ve been careful during this transitional period to protect our position at the top of college athletics,” Byrne wrote in a December 2024 message. “But there’s a time for talk and a time for action. Now is a time for action.”
Byrne’s message wasn’t just a rallying cry-it was a clear acknowledgment that Alabama can no longer rely solely on its legacy. While the Tide have long measured themselves against their own standard, the college football world around them is changing fast. Other programs, fueled by deep-pocketed donors and aggressive NIL strategies, are gaining ground.
“Hungry fan bases are acting decisively to give their respective programs competitive advantages,” Byrne said. “We must respond. We are Alabama.”
But responding takes resources. And that’s where Auburn, surprisingly, may have the edge.
While Finebaum mentioned two billionaires backing Auburn, the reality is a bit murkier. One of the names that often gets floated is Jimmy Buffett, who passed away in 2023. While Buffett did attend Auburn briefly, he was more closely tied to Southern Miss and was never known to be a major booster for the Tigers.
That leaves Jimmy Rane-the CEO of Great Southern Wood and better known as the “Yella Fella”-as Auburn’s most prominent financial backer. Rane has long been involved in Auburn athletics and is widely recognized as the state’s only billionaire. So Finebaum may have overshot the count, but the point still stands: Auburn has at least one ultra-wealthy supporter willing to invest in the program’s future.
Alabama? That kind of financial muscle just isn’t in the building right now.
And in today’s college football landscape, that matters more than ever. NIL collectives are becoming as essential as strength coaches. Programs that can’t keep up financially risk falling behind on the field.
Alabama’s legacy is still intact. The trophies still shine.
The brand still resonates. But as the sport continues to evolve, the Tide may find themselves needing more than tradition to stay on top.
Because in this new era, it’s not just about who recruits the hardest or schemes the best-it’s also about who can cut the biggest check.