In a groundbreaking collaboration between traditional sports media and streaming entertainment, ESPN and Netflix today announced a joint production: Saban, a six-part documentary series that will offer the most comprehensive and intimate portrait yet of legendary coach Nick Saban’s transformative 17-season run at the University of Alabama. The series is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix in February 2026, with ESPN airing select episodes and extended highlights on its linear networks and digital platforms.
The announcement marks the first major co-production between ESPN and Netflix, uniting ESPN’s unrivaled college football archives and insider access with Netflix’s high-production-value documentary expertise.
Saban will chronicle how the former Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, and Miami Dolphins coach arrived in Tuscaloosa in January 2007 and, over the next 17 years, rebuilt Alabama into the preeminent program in college football history securing six national championships (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020), 11 SEC titles, and a record 292 victories.
Producers promise viewers will see never-before-released locker-room and practice footage, game-day preparations, strategy sessions, and private moments that reveal the intensity and humanity behind Saban’s famous “Process.” The series features more than 40 hours of new interviews with Saban himself, along with candid conversations with his wife Terry, daughter Kristen, former assistants (including Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, and Dan Lanning), rival coaches, and dozens of former players including Derrick Henry, Julio Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, DeVonta Smith, and Jalen Hurts.
“This is the definitive telling of Nick Saban’s Alabama era,” said ESPN Films president John Dahl. “We’ve had unparalleled access to the program for nearly two decades. Combining that with Netflix’s storytelling reach allows us to show the full scope of what he accomplished and the personal cost of that relentless pursuit of excellence.”
Netflix Head of Documentaries Lisa Nishimura added, “Nick Saban is one of the most influential figures in American sports. This series goes beyond wins and losses to examine leadership, culture-building, and the evolution of college football during one of its most dynamic periods including the arrival of the transfer portal and NIL. It’s a story of discipline, adaptation, and legacy.”
Archival material will include raw sideline audio, film-room breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes looks at recruiting battles, player development, and the famous “fourth-quarter finishes” mantra. The production also addresses difficult moments—team tragedies, player discipline issues, and the seismic shifts brought by conference realignment and name, image, and likeness rules.
Saban, who has remained visible through ESPN College GameDay duties and motivational appearances, provided extensive access but maintained editorial independence for the filmmakers. “I wanted this to be honest,” Saban said in a brief statement. “The good, the bad, the hard days—because that’s what shaped the program and the people in it.”
The February premiere aligns perfectly with the college football offseason, positioning Saban as appointment viewing for fans awaiting spring practices and the expanded 2026 playoff. ESPN will promote the series heavily across its platforms, while Netflix will leverage its global subscriber base to introduce Saban’s story to international audiences.
Industry observers view the partnership as a template for future sports content, blending linear television’s deep archives with streaming’s cinematic polish. For Alabama fans, it’s a chance to relive a golden era; for the broader sports world, it’s the most authoritative account yet of how one man turned a storied program into an unmatched dynasty.
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