Following Nick Saban’s departure, Alabama lost an astounding amount of money.

Nick Saban, the longstanding head coach of Alabama, announced his shocking retirement from collegiate football a little more than a year ago. Following a quick coaching search, the school selected Kalen DeBoer of Washington to head the program after he guided the Huskies to a national championship appearance. In DeBoer’s first season, the Crimson Tide’s performance declined, finishing at 9-4 and ending with a humiliating defeat to the Michigan Wolverines. The team and the institution suffered a crippling financial loss when the Tide switched from the great Saban, who brought six national titles to Tuscaloosa, to DeBoer.

The University of Alabama’s athletics department recorded a $27.9 million loss for the 2023–24 fiscal year, according to a report by 247Sports. There were $234 million in total operating revenues and $262 million in total operating expenses. “The net loss reported for the year was largely due to one-time expenses associated with the football coaching transition,” the institution stated in its report.

Learn more about the football program’s financial situation, which showed a profit but a large loss on an annual basis. The football program at Alabama made $26.4 million, a decrease from 2022’s $52 million profit and 2023’s $46 million profit. While football operating expenses rose from $83 million to $113 million in 2024, football operating revenues climbed from $129 million in 2023 to $140 million in 2024. After Saban left, Alabama spent $65 million on coach pay, including $47 million for the football program alone. In 2022–2023, the athletic department reported a $12 million loss.