IN PHOTOS: $2M NIL-valued Cavinder twins pose with former Alabama HC Nick Saban in Washington, DC

The Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna Cavinder, were spotted with former Alabama coach Nick Saban on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

They participated in a discussion on the future of college athletics along with Senator Ted Cruz and other notable figures.

During the roundtable, Saban shared his views on how the focus on money and buying players undermines the spirit of collegiate sports.

Meanwhile, the Cavinder twins, who have a combined NIL valuation of $2 million (per On3) shared an adorable picture with the legendary coach on their Instagram account:

"A dream day in Washington, D.C. today! Beyond grateful for this opportunity to further NIL."

At the event, former Alabama football coach Saban, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips, former Miami basketball player Hanna Cavinder and TCU basketball player Haley Cavinder discussed the future of college athletics.

The main topic of discussion was the need to codify Name, Image and Likeness rights for student-athletes. The group talked about potential legislation to address these issues, with Cruz mentioning that there is a 50-50 chance of Congress passing such legislation by the end of the year.

What did Nick Saban say about the urgency of the matter?

Former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban

Senator Ted Cruz has expressed cautious hope that the U.S. Congress will enact legislation aimed at providing antitrust protection and regulation for college athletics within the country by the end of this year.

“The clock is running,” Cruz said.

The urgency of the matter was highlighted during the discussion, where Nick Saban said:

“All the things I believed in for all these years, 50 years of coaching, no longer exist in college athletics. It’s whoever wants to pay the most money, raise the most money, buy the most players is going to have the best opportunity to win.

"And I don’t think that’s the spirit of college athletics, and I don’t think it’s ever been the spirit of what we want college athletics to be.”

While the panel was not an official legislative hearing, it drew significant attention, particularly with the presence of the Cavinder twins, who have become faces of the NIL debate in college sports.

Reportedly, the NCAA and Power Five conferences allocated a substantial budget for lobbying activities in 2023, with expenditures reaching $2.97 million, per The Associated Press.