The 3 highest paid WAC coaches have all taken pay cuts

HSA Note: "In the last 12 months, the three highest-paid football coaches, Boise State's Chris Petersen, Hawaii's Greg McMackin and Hill -- the so-called "Millionaire Three" of the WAC -- have accepted terms that will either significantly reduce or slow down the pace of their salaries.  It is believed to be the first time in the 48-year history of the conference that its three highest-paid coaches have all had their contracts readjusted down."


About the need to lower salaries, JD said:
"People are finding out that, in these tough economic times, you can't have high fixed costs. People are going back and trying to lower their fixed costs." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Last fall McMackin voluntarily agreed, according to school officials, to a 7 percent pay cut for 22 months. That was on top of the one month's salary he was docked for offensive remarks made last summer at a WAC media event.  When the voluntary cut -- which was in line with those taken by several administrators, including then-UH president David McClain, Manoa chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw and Donovan and senior athletic administrators -- ends June 30, 2011, McMackin will have given up $141,174 in salary, according to UH officials.

Petersen, who has led Boise State to two BCS appearances and three WAC titles in four years, will receive $1.289 million in base salary this year, but had been scheduled to make $1.3 million. Moreover, what was to have been a 56 percent escalation over three years, according to the Idaho Statesman, will now be a 20 percent climb over five years."


About how Athletic Department revenue varies with the performance of the teams, JD said:
"From a strictly business standpoint, sports (expenses and revenues) are variable depending on how the teams perform. Your revenue can be up considerably or revenue can be down considerably, all depending on how the team is doing." (HSA)


About how the WAC raised salaries as other schools with larger TV deals raised money, JD said:
"At what point does it become feasible to keep up with the Joneses?" (HSA)


HSA Note: "Increasingly, schools say they are reducing the base salary and tying pay to meaningful incentives. For example, Hill's base, which had been approximately $850,000, will become $650,000 on Jan. 1, 2011, when the new contract becomes operative, according to the Fresno Bee."


About how coaches salaries cannot keep increasing like they have been, Karl Benson said:
"Nationally, I think, they (escalating coaching salaries) have to come to a screeching halt." (HSA)


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