Nick Saban has firmly cemented his status as a legend in college football. Over nearly three decades as a head coach, Saban achieved an impressive record of 292 wins, 71 losses, and 1 tie. His reign includes seven national championships, with six victories at Alabama and one at LSU, solidifying his position as the most triumphant college coach in contemporary history. Throughout his 16-year tenure with the Crimson Tide, Saban amassed approximately $130 million in salary and bonuses, ranking him among the top earners in sports coaching.

With such an illustrious career, one might assume Saban would be ready to retire. However, the coach is not one to rest on his laurels!

As he dominated college football, Saban was quietly crafting a business portfolio that could rival his on-field achievements. This business acumen, unrelated to football, seems poised to catapult him into billionaire status in the coming years, especially if his latest venture proves profitable.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Buying Into the NHL

On a noteworthy day, the Nashville Predators announced that Nick Saban, alongside his longtime business associate Joe Agresti, acquired a minority stake in the team through Dream Sports Ventures LLC. This acquisition aligns them with a group led by franchise chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam, the former governor of Tennessee.

In a statement regarding this new chapter, Saban expressed, “Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports.” He continued, “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal.”

Details about the financial aspects of Saban and Agresti’s investment remain undisclosed. Before their involvement, the team was valued at $1.6 billion, an increase from $1.3 billion the previous year. Should Saban and Agresti have acquired a 10% stake at this valuation, their investment would amount to $160 million. Even if their share is smaller, one might wonder how a former college football coach, even one with $130 million in earnings, could afford such a substantial investment in an NHL team. It’s a question worth exploring.

The Dream Motor Group Foundation

Long before he bought into an NHL team, Saban had already positioned himself as a serious businessman. In 2013, he partnered with Joe Agresti, an auto industry executive who had built a reputation as one of the most disciplined and data-driven dealership operators in the country. Their partnership led to the creation of Dream Motor Group, which has since grown into one of the most successful luxury auto dealer networks in the southeastern United States.

Dream Motor Group now operates dealerships across Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida, selling Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, and Infiniti vehicles. In 2023, the company made headlines with a roughly $700 million acquisition of two Miami-area Mercedes-Benz dealerships, a deal that included the underlying real estate and significantly expanded the group’s footprint.

In 2025, Dream Motor Group was reportedly on pace to generate close to $2 billion in annual revenue, placing it firmly in rarefied territory for privately held dealership groups.

Dream Motor Group currently owns and operates the following dealerships:

• Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham (Irondale, Alabama)
• Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge (Louisiana)
• Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands (Texas)
• Mercedes-Benz of Music City (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables (Florida)
• Mercedes-Benz of Cutler Bay (Florida)
• Ferrari of Nashville
• Infiniti of Hoover (Alabama)

While Dream Motor Group is privately held and does not publish financials, there is one key data point that provides insight into its value: Joe Agresti’s personal net worth. Based on the value of Dream Motor Group, Joe Agresti’s net worth is $1.1 billion.

Based on that number, we can do some napkin math. If Agresti owns 50% of the business, Dream Motor Group would be worth around $2.2 billion. If his ownership is closer to 70% or 80%, the implied valuation would still land between $1.4 billion and $1.6 billion.

Under any of those scenarios, Nick Saban’s stake is extremely valuable. A 10% ownership interest could be worth anywhere from $140 million to more than $220 million. A 20% stake could range from $280 million to $440 million. And if  Saban owns closer to 30%, his share could approach $600 million or more at current valuations.

From Coach to Sports Owner

The Nashville Predators investment adds a new layer to Saban’s portfolio. It also fits neatly alongside Dream Motor Group’s existing presence in Nashville, where the company already operates two high-profile dealerships: Mercedes-Benz of Music City and Ferrari of Nashville.

If, through a mix of exceptional execution and extraordinary luck, Dream Motor Group’s valuation ever climbs to $3 billion — and if Nick truly owns a 30% stake — his share alone would be worth around $900 million. Combined with the money he earned coaching and his NHL investment, there’s a very real possibility Nick Saban will be a billionaire at some point in the next few years.

For Nick Saban, the championships are already secured. Now, quietly and methodically, he’s building something that could last even longer than his football dynasty.