Nick Saban Quietly Co-Owns A Luxury Car Dealership Empire That Might Turn Him Into The Richest Football Coach In History (If It Hasn't Already)

Nick Saban's legacy in college football is beyond dispute. Over a 28-year head coaching career, he compiled an extraordinary 292–71–1 record and captured seven national championships — six with Alabama and one with LSU — securing his place as the most successful college coach of the modern era. During his 16 seasons leading the Crimson Tide, Nick Saban earned $130 million in salary and bonuses, placing him among the highest-paid coaches in sports history.

You might think a résumé like that would be enough to call it a career. But while Saban was dominating the college football world, he was also quietly building a business empire that could rival his on-field success. And it has nothing to do with football.

Through minority ownership stakes, high-stakes acquisitions, and a partnership with veteran auto executive Joe Agresti, Saban co-owns a luxury car dealership conglomerate called Dream Motor Group. The company now operates across multiple states, sells tens of thousands of high-end vehicles each year, and is reportedly worth well over a billion dollars. What began with a single phone call and a handshake has evolved into a serious business powerhouse — one that may ultimately cement Saban's place not just in the coaching pantheon, but among America's billionaire entrepreneurs and the richest coach in history.

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Early Roots: From Dad's Gas Station to A Coaching Legend

Saban's affinity for cars and mechanics traces back to his youth. He grew up in a small coal-mining town in West Virginia, where his father ran a service station. Young Nick pumped gas, changed tires, and did odd jobs — learning not just tool skills but how businesses run at ground level. Over several decades in football, he also built a reputation for process, detail, and culture — traits that would carry over into his post-coaching investments.

When Saban first considered entering the dealership world, he didn't cast a wide net. He met Joe Agresti, a self-made dealer in Louisiana, whose background and philosophy mirrored Saban's own approach to discipline and structure. Agresti rose from modest roots in New Jersey, studied accounting, worked at Arthur Andersen, and eventually purchased stakes in a Baton Rouge Mercedes-Benz dealership. When the two met, their shared values clicked immediately.

Dream Motor Group

Thus was born Dream Motor Group — formally the vehicle for Saban's entry into luxury auto retailing. Saban would be a minority partner in many of the ventures, while Agresti handled the day-to-day operations.

Over the past decade, Dream Motor has amassed a curated, high-end portfolio rather than a sprawling, unfocused one. Some of the key holdings include:

• Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham and Irondale, Alabama
• Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands, Texas
• Mercedes-Benz of Music City, Nashville, Tennessee
• Ferrari of Nashville
• Infiniti of Hoover, Alabama

Here's a video tour of the grand opening of Ferrari of Nashville from March 2023. Appropriately, Nick gave the opening welcome speech:

In 2023, Dream Motor made its most ambitious move yet, acquiring two Mercedes-Benz dealerships in South Florida (Coral Gables and Cutler Bay), along with a collision center and nearby real estate, in a deal valued at roughly $700 million. The real estate portion alone reportedly cost about $150 million.

Those two stores dramatically expanded the group's footprint and revenue base. The Florida expansion pushed Dream Motor's new-vehicle sales to around 22,000 units annually across all locations.

In 2025, Dream Motor is reportedly on pace to generate nearly $2 billion in annual revenue.

The company has intentionally remained focused on a few key luxury brands, especially Mercedes-Benz. As Agresti once explained, the goal was not to diversify for its own sake, but to become the best operator possible within select brands. Another key partner, Steve Cannon, the former CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, later joined the venture, bringing high-level industry experience and connections.

Money, Margins & Culture: The Financial Mechanics

A big question: how does this empire actually make money — and how profitable might Saban's cut be?

Profit pools in dealerships

• New-vehicle sales carry relatively thin margins, but drive overall volume.
• Used and certified pre-owned vehicles generate higher margins per unit.
• Financing and insurance (F&I) are critical profit centers: dealerships earn fees and margins through financing packages, insurance products, and extended warranties.
• Service, parts, and collision repair offer recurring, high-margin revenue streams less sensitive to economic downturns.
• Real estate adds another layer — owning the land and buildings allows for appreciation, leaseback structures, and goodwill valuation in franchise rights.

Agresti is famously meticulous about data. He monitors every dealership's performance down to the number of cars sold per salesperson each night, and even keeps track of every buyer's name. Each store's financials are reviewed monthly to ensure consistency and profitability.

In high-franchise states like Florida, "goodwill" — the intangible value of having the rights to operate a luxury brand in a region — adds major equity. These franchise rights often trade at high multiples, driving the valuations behind deals like the $700 million Florida purchase.

Because Dream Motor's model blends dealership operations, real estate ownership, and premium brand rights, its enterprise value could reasonably command six- to ten-times EBITDA, easily supporting billion-dollar valuations.

Saban's Stake & Wealth Scenarios

We don't know how much of the business Nick Saban owns, but we do know that Joe Agresti, the driving force behind Dream Motor Group, now has a net worth of $1.1 billion. We also know that Joe is the majority owner.

If Agresti's $1.1 billion fortune represents 50% of the business, that would imply Dream Motor Group is worth around $2.2 billion. In that scenario, a 10% stake for Saban would be worth about $220 million, while a 20% stake would be worth $440 million, and a 30% stake would soar to around $660 million.

If Agresti owns closer to 60%, the company's valuation would land around $1.8 billion, which would make Saban's ownership worth between $180 million and $540 million, depending on whether his stake falls in the 10% to 30% range.

At 70% ownership, Dream Motor Group would be valued at $1.6 billion, and Saban's portion could be worth between $160 million and $480 million. If Agresti holds 80%, that would still value the business at about $1.4 billion, meaning Saban's piece might range from $140 million to $420 million.

Billionaire Path

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 would be worth around $900 million. Combined with the wealth he's already earned from three decades of elite coaching, that would make him a billionaire.

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Those are all estimates until we get the actual numbers. It's possible Nick owns a tiny fraction of the business, though I doubt he would get involved and lend his name for less than at least 10%.

Whatever the exact percentage, one thing is clear: Nick Saban didn't enter the car business to dabble. He partnered with a proven operator, applied the same culture and process-driven mindset that made him a football legend, and built something that will continue generating wealth long after his coaching whistle went silent.

In football, Saban became synonymous with preparation, precision, and relentless execution. In business, those same traits have quietly turned him into one of the most successful coach-entrepreneurs in history. Whether his stake is worth $100 million or half a billion, Dream Motor Group has ensured that Nick Saban's legacy won't just be measured in championships—it'll also be measured in horsepower, luxury, and billion-dollar ambition.