Review: What South Carolina’s Shane Beamer said about Dawn Staley statue, Nick Saban’s potential new role

 

GREENVILLE — The entire college sports world is waiting for the House vs NCAA settlement, which would change the financial landscape for schools, athletes and coaches beginning in July.

If approved, NCAA schools could share as much as $20.5 million per year in revenue directly with their athletes.

Football would receive the biggest chunk, but Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketballteam is one of the sport’s top programs with three national titles since 2017.

Coach Shane Beamer knows he’s in a unique situation with Staley, in a good way.

Our situation is different because of coach Staley,” Beamer said ahead of speaking at an event for fans. “Not every football coach shares a campus with a women’s basketball coach that has a statue of her, and she’s still coaching. It’s not like she’s dead and been retired for 30 years. You realize the impact she has on our university and our community, and we’re extremely close.”

Athletic director Jeremiah Donati hasn’t publicly shared how South Carolina would divide the money among athletes and teams.

“Ultimately those decisions are up to (Donati) and the administration,” Beamer said, explaining that coaches are involved in the discussions. “I’m a team player, she’s a team player. She’s extremely supportive of what we’re doing football wise and I’m extremely supportive of what she’s doing basketball wise. We try to help each other in so many ways and that’s not going to change.”

According to documents obtained by The Greenville News, the football team earned $31 million in 2024 and women’s basketball had a $5.7 million deficit.

“She understands the revenue football brings in but she also wants to win championships too,” Beamer said. “She’s a competitive person … we all want South Carolina to be great, every sport. The best thing is for all of us to be successful.”

Shane Beamer approves Nick Saban’s potential new role

Nick Saban may potentially be involved again in college sports again. Saban, the longtime coach of Alabama, will be co-chair of an upcoming federal commission on collegiate athletics set up by President Donald Trump, according to media reports.

NIL is one of the issues Trump is looking for this commission to work on, according to reports.

I was reading some of that on my phone today,” Beamer said when asked about Saban. “I don’t know enough about it but I think if you’re looking for anyone to spearhead change or be in a leadership position going forward, Nick Saban is the first person to come to mind from my standpoint and I know a lot of people would say the same.”