Revealed: The Surprising Figure Teaming Up with Nick Saban on a Secret Presidential Commission

When President Donald Trump taps Nick Saban to co-chair a new commission on college sports, you know something interesting is brewing. But the real zinger? No one initially knew who the other co-chair would be—raising eyebrows and sparking plenty of debate. Enter Cody Campbell, a Texas Tech NIL collective founder who made a cool $4.1 billion off an oil and gas company, now stepping into the college sports arena alongside the legendary coach. It’s a matchup that feels part corporate boardroom, part locker-room strategy session—and just maybe, a tug-of-war over the future of NIL and college athletics as we know it. Can Saban’s disciplined approach mesh with Campbell’s business-savvy hustle? And just how much influence will a presidential commission formed mid-term actually wield before the clock runs out? This story is a telling reminder that when power, money, and the love of the game collide, the stakes are never just on the field. LEARN MORE.

President Donald Trump has named Nick Saban to a new commission he’s forming on college sports. But the initial reporting noted that Saban would be the “co-chair,” leaving many to wonder who the other co-chair might be.

Yesterday Yahoo Sports college football insider Ross Dellenger reported that Trump would be forming a Presidential Commission to look into how many has been impacting the sport.

“Trump’s involvement, though not surprising, is a landmark moment in college athletics history — the country’s most powerful elected leader potentially shaping the future of the industry,” Dellenger wrote. “Details of the commission are for now being kept private, but the group is expected to feature college sports stakeholders, prominent businesspeople with deep connections to college football and, perhaps, even a former coach and administrator.

“The commission is expected to deeply examine the unwieldy landscape of college sports, including the frequency of player movement in the transfer portal, the unregulated booster compensation paid to athletes, the debate of college athlete employment, the application of Title IX to school revenue-share payments and, even, conference membership makeup and conference television contracts, those with knowledge of the commission told Yahoo Sports.”

On Thursday, On3 Sports reporter Pete Nakos revealed who Saban’s co-chair on the new commission will be. He said that it will be Cody Campbell, a Texas Tech NIL collective founder and former owner of the Double Eagle oil and gas company.

“Texas Tech NIL collective founder Cody Campbell, who sold his oil and natural gas company, Double Eagle, for $4.1 billion, will be the co-commisioner with Nick Saban, sources tell @On3sports,” Nakos reported.

Texas Tech NIL collective founder Cody Campbell, who sold his oil and natural gas company, Double Eagle, for $4.1 billion, will be the co-commisioner with Nick Saban, sources tell @On3sports. https://t.co/ubS2KjjbXO

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) May 8, 2025

Fans on social media were intrigued by the announcement, but don’t seem too thrilled about the idea of an NIL collective founder having the role:

“Don’t love that. It’s hard to imagine a billionaire that’s gained a competitive advantage for his school will want to rein things in with NIL,” one user noted.

“Good idea having a co-commisioner that doesn’t have an affiliation to a relevant school that might cause a conflict of interest,” wrote another.

“Going to be an interesting dynamic between Cody and Saban, feel like both have different viewpoints on nil.”

It remains to be seen how much headway this new presidential commission can actually make. In the amount of time it takes to assemble and start gathering information, President Trump might be halfway through his term in office.

And if Trump’s successor after his term expires doesn’t win the Presidency in 2028, the commission could very well be dissolved.

Unless Saban and Campbell work quickly, their work could wind up being a bit of a boondoggle.

Related: Nick Saban Had ‘Crucial’ College Football Meeting With President Trump