Topic: Marshall coaches, AD take pay cuts during pandemic

[Flat Tire 2]

There is an article in the H-D that you can view that has some interesting information. The rumor that the athletic department had lost $1 Million before the pandemic is true with final total loss of $1.4 million. The budget for the current year is being reduced by $5 million.

https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/marshall-coaches-ad-take-pay-cuts-during-pandemic/article_2e5860f1-d558-5d58-8425-7014b42d62de.html

[Flat Tire 2]

From the above article:

According to the latest figures available from the state public employee salary database, head football coach Doc Holliday’s total compensation was $789,367; head men’s basketball coach Dan D’Antoni’s total compensation was $550,000; and Hamrick’s total compensation was $310,979.96.

Information on the salary reductions was not available as of press time, but examples of salary reductions, according to the university, include 6% reduction at $107,900; 7% reduction at $133,800; 8% reduction at $175,400; 9% reduction at $215,400; and 10% reduction at $262,400. The maximum reduction will be 15% at $470,000, according to the university.

[svherd]

Let's hope these actions will prevent layoffs within the school/department and we don't have to drop any programs.

[Flat Tire 2]

We can't drop a program or we will lose our Division 1 Status since we sponsor the minimum number of sports to be Division 1. I guess we could request a waiver from the NCAA?

[elginherd]

Let's hope these actions will prevent layoffs within the school/department and we don't have to drop any programs.

Amen...

[Skidude]

Based on the reduction percentages stated above - and, if I am reading them correctly (0% reduction for the first $107,900 - then prorated from there) - this is the amount of salary reductions that will be taken:

Doc - $80,561.05

Danny - $44,656.00

Mike - $16,753.98

[svherd]

We can't drop a program or we will lose our Division 1 Status since we sponsor the minimum number of sports to be Division 1. I guess we could request a waiver from the NCAA?

Yep. Dropping would be the worst case scenario. I am hoping the NCAA sees the financial strain schools are having as a result of this and either relax the required number of sports or grant a 2-3 year waiver to allow schools enough time to plan, budget and get back on their feet. But knowing the NCAA, that won’t be happening.

[coalherd]

My guess is that cancellation of the NCAA Basketball tournament this spring provided a large chunk of the Herd's deficit.  With MU and Middle Tenn. having won a few first round tourney games in the last 3 to 4 seasons, the HERD was probably due a fairly decent sized share of CUSA's payout this year.

Now things are going to really get bad, IMO, if the football season is cancelled this fall.  Even though CUSA's share of TV revenue is a mere pittance, the loss of other revenue from ticket sales, concessions, etc., etc., will be a major hit financially.

[HerdEcon]

If all games in a season are canceled by a school but not the NCAA would that be considered dropping a program? 

If not, that may be a creative way to quasi drop a program until better financial times.  Don't know whether golf, swimming, volleyball, soccer, tennis, etc. games have buyout provisions or game contracts.  Buyout provisions could be set aside in exchange for future games.

Most schools that cancel athletic programs continue to honor scholarships for the then current academic year.  So whether scholarships are honored may not be the deciding factor for the NCAA.

[Flat Tire 2]

Yep. Dropping would be the worst case scenario. I am hoping the NCAA sees the financial strain schools are having as a result of this and either relax the required number of sports or grant a 2-3 year waiver to allow schools enough time to plan, budget and get back on their feet. But knowing the NCAA, that won’t be happening.

Back in April the NCAA rejected a request by the G5 commissioners to have a blanket waiver, but will consider individual cases.

The NCAA Division I Council denied a request to temporarily waive the minimum number of sports required to be a Division I member and delayed a decision on allowing all college athletes to be immediately eligible one time after transferring.

The NCAA announced Friday night that a request made recently by five FBS conference commissioners to waive numerous Division I requirements for up to four years would be considered in the coming weeks. But a blanket waiver permitting schools to drop below the minimum 16 sports would only be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The request was made with schools bracing for tough times as the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic begins to take a toll athletic departments.

“Higher education is facing unique challenges, and the Division I leadership believes it’s appropriate to examine areas in which rules can be relaxed or amended to provide flexibility for schools and conferences,” said Council chairwoman Grace Calhoun, the athletic director at Pennsylvania. “We will prioritize student-athlete well-being and opportunities balanced with reducing costs associated with administering college sports, but a blanket waiver of sport sponsorship requirements is not in keeping with our values and will not be considered.”

The transfer waiver working group recommended in February to allow all athletes to transfer one-time in four years without sitting out a season. Some sports already have a one-time transfer exception, but not football, men’s and women’s basketball, hockey and baseball.

The waiver change could have gone into effect this year, but the council cited the uncertainty related to the COVID-19 outbreak for delaying a vote.

The council also recommended the Division I Board of Directors lift the current moratorium on transfer legislation so the council could vote on the concept of a one-time exception for all transfers in January 2021.

https://apnews.com/d027100d06715e95e6555a40e10c8320

[MUinDE]

Just pointing out the obvious, but the article does not confirm that the AD indeed took the pay cuts. I, like all of you, assume they did, but the AD did not confirm that.

[svherd]

I would hope they did take the pay cut. We always hear how poor we are and can't do this or afford that. It would look pretty bad if they didn't in lieu of our school facing millions in a budget shortfall. They wouldn't get any love the next time they come asking for money.

[Taft#1]

 Im not sure if staying in the MAC would have helped us out but we need out of CUSA as soon as possible , we're going under quick.

[HaveUherd]

How bout we cut Doc down to zero and start the process of looking for his replacement and advertise it? Let an assistant run it this year if there even is a season.

[CoachMaclid]

Im not sure if staying in the MAC would have helped us out but we need out of CUSA as soon as possible , we're going under quick.

I've been saying this since the realignments were announced in 2012.  Just being in this version of C-USA degrades the Marshall brand and relevance with each passing year.

However, in 2020, it may finally be too late to make a meaningful difference.  I think our window has passed.

[DC01HERD]

The window for Marshall football closed the day Bob Pruett retired. Look at the roster from 1997 and compare it to 2020. The talent drop is steep and drastic. John has sent Marshall football into the abyss.

Dan has opened a window for Marshall basketball that we haven't seen in a long time. The nucleus of players is there to do special things. I hope the athletic department takes advantage of this golden opportunity.

[Herdmeister]

The window for Marshall football closed the day Bob Pruett retired. Look at the roster from 1997 and compare it to 2020. The talent drop is steep and drastic. John has sent Marshall football into the abyss.

Dan has opened a window for Marshall basketball that we haven't seen in a long time. The nucleus of players is there to do special things. I hope the athletic department takes advantage of this golden opportunity.

unfortunately to date our athletic department has shown very little interest in our basketball program

[elginherd]

How bout we cut Doc down to zero and start the process of looking for his replacement and advertise it? Let an assistant run it this year if there even is a season.

Sounds good on paper, but in reality Coach Holliday would receive a pretty good chunk of change if he were fired  immediately :(

[Taft#1]

Sounds good on paper, but in reality Coach Holliday would receive a pretty good chunk of change if he were fired  immediately :(

Would it be more than what hes costing the university ?

Hamrick has a basketball program close to possibly making some national noise but for some reason , football gets Hamrick off . Im not sure what footballs appeal is to him but he needs to spread the love some , this football no matter what mentality doesnt work for schools MUs size . The 90's are long gone for MU football , people really dont even care that much anymore , time to show bball some love , its alot cheaper to do.