Bill Battle, Former Alabama Athletic Director and Tennessee Coach, Dies at 82

The visionary leader and pioneer in college athletics leaves a lasting legacy as a coach, administrator, and founder of the Collegiate Licensing Company.

• Bill Battle, a Birmingham native, played under Paul 'Bear' Bryant at Alabama and was part of the Crimson Tide's first national championship team in 1961.
• He served as Tennessee's head football coach from 1970 to 1976, achieving a 59-22-2 record and making history by naming Condredge Holloway the first Black starting quarterback in the SEC.
• In 1981, Battle founded the Collegiate Licensing Company, revolutionizing the business of college athletics; the company was later acquired by IMG in 2007.
• As Alabama's athletic director from 2013 to 2017, he oversaw three national championships and was praised for his leadership and integrity by figures like Nick Saban.
• Battle's contributions to college sports were widely recognized, earning him numerous accolades, including induction into multiple halls of fame and a lifetime achievement award from the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

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