<p>If Saban's ability to win 1 or 2 games more/year (OK they need more help that that :) really translates into enough additional revenue to offset the difference between his salary and that of coaches of comparable programs, then it's hard to argue with $32 mil. But since winning football games is not exactly central to the educational mission of a university I'm not sure that that the analogy with entertainers' salaries is apt. It seems to me that the President and Trustees at Alabama have a real obligation to ensure that there's a return on this "investment" and that it was made for the right reasons.</p>
<p>coronax captured my thoughts with his post. Athletes that are good enough to play professionally are being exploited. A pro football monopoly forces them to sell their services to a university at a price far below the market. Instead of earning $millions in the NFL they play for room/board and tuition in college. That leaves plenty of $$ to pay the college coach, who not only is unconstrained by anticompetitive monopolies, he also apparently is unconstrained by little things like long term contracts. All he need do is proclaim he is unhappy and wants to leave... but he will stay and fulfill his contract it that is what his employer wants. Of course any employer will tell him to go. The athletes who are not good enough to play in the NFL get a good deal: Free room and board and an education and a college degree if they work hard and are lucky. That's why coronax could provide the two apparently widely divergent quotes. Some of the athletes are being highly exploited, while others are getting the deal of a lifetime. </p>
<p>Saban is just a slimy lying weasel milking the system for all it is worth. His position should be: Hey, if they are going to throw all this money my why I would be a fool not to take it.</p>
<p>NJres, I couldn't agree more re Saban. It makes some of us sick, especially against the landscape of the firing of Larry Coker, a decent, good, kind man (who couldn't recruit).</p>
<p>Personally, I think Alabama will probably end up having to fire Saban in < three years. Shula's experience is the writing on the wall...</p>
<p>Saban gets the $32,000,000 whether he wins or not. It is a guaranteed salary.</p>
<p>According to a recent study big time sports may not really provide tangible benefits to many universities.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Between 1993 and 2001 in Division I-A, every dollar increase in spending on football and basketball brought only a dollar in added revenue. Increased spending on other sports brought diminishing returns: roughly 25 cents in additional revenue for every additional dollar spent. Spending changes had no impact on win-loss records. Or on alumni donations. Or on the academic quality of incoming students (based on SAT scores and the percentage of applicants accepted), an indicator of school stature and appeal. "Expanded athletic programs," the report concluded, "appear to be neither the road to riches nor the road to financial ruin."
[/quote]
<p>But he's got to do it at BAMA. The money comes from the boosters. If he doesn't win enough, the boosters will turn on him. They have been throwing around alot of money these days and turning coaches over pretty quick. BAMA is essentially the Oakland Raiders of college football and the boosters are AL Davis. If you don't follow that point.. a once great organization that is now pretty screwed up because of the people behind the scenes. </p>
<p>There's always a great payday in hell. They'll love him until his second loss in a season.</p>
<p>If he doesn't reach 8 wins in 3 seasons, he will be gone. And that guaranteed money will not be guaranteed. They'll offer him money to leave and get someone else.</p>
<p>The people sitting in many of those seats donate thousands of dollars for the chance to BUY season tickets. Big time football brings in ridiculous amounts of money. There were quotes about the Alabama program already earlier.</p>
<p>
So? Think what our society would be willing to shell out if he could rap, or "act" or had big boobs, too? The mind boggles. ;)</p>
<p>I just pray the boosters have enough cash left over to illegally recruit some blue chippers. If they didn't think that through, now that would be a crying shame.</p>
<p>( I really don't care how the big foo'ball boosters spend their cash. This is relatively harmless, it seems to me.)</p>
<p>OfM, I like your comparison of 'bama to the Raiders. </p>
<p>I often find myself crossing verbal sabers with a few UCLA boosters who, doubtlessly driven up the wall and half way across the ceiling by the success of PomPom Pete across town, want a win-at-any-cost approach in terms of both dollars and integrity. I don't care if 90 percent of the Div I schools have mick majors where they can stash underqualified athletes, it's not right. And that's one of the milder questions.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, I don't think these boosters have to worry too much about the cash ;). </p>
<p>TheDad, win at any cost, uuhhh, what's your point?? (I'm being sarcastic).</p>
<p>Underqualified athletes is not too much of an issue at Alabama, it is not that hard to get into the school! </p>
<p>I have problems with some of the issues raised about players being used almost as indentured servants - producing millions, but not sharing in them, many with no hope of graduation or the NFL.</p>
<p>However, Alabama (the state and the school) are not at all California and UCLA. If the school was more competitive, and turning away highly qualified students to fill athletic spots, I'd be upset, too, but as the economic situation is, this helps everyone top to bottom at the school. What upsets me about Bama, is buying top students with merit aid, and having very little FA for low income students. Many of these students don't have the grades and especially test scores, partly because of their mediocre preparation, but would benefit from the 4 year education. They get shuffled off to the community colleges, a large number of which in Alabama are scandal and scam ridden - some prominent folks down here maybe going to jail over that.
Overall winning football just means more money for everybody - do you know how much they make on hats and bumper stickers alone.</p>
<p>Opie is right about the behind the scenes stuff, best that I can tell. Many people hope that someone with the stature of Saban can change that. Of course, if I was basically paying the guy's salary, I would kind of feel like his boss - that's part of the problem.</p>
<p>Lou Saban shold be paid what the market will bear. Don't blame him (if someone is to blame) for this type of market.</p>
<p>Also, for those athletes who are "being exploited"- do they have to play football against their will or are they doing this of their own volition.</p>
<p>I would be less concerned about Saban's package if he were coaching the pros. We need to remember that these are universities, i.e., "not-for profit" educational institutions. Although it would be naive for me to truly believe these universities aren't run like businesses, I am having trouble with the fact that someone will be paid a guaranteed sum of $32 million to coach COLLEGE FOOTBALL. Yes, the football team brings in MILLIONS to the school, which is great. Yes, the $$$ is coming from boosters, etc. but I just think this pay package sets a bad precedent.</p>
<p>Cangel, may I copy part of your post (or whole if you like), onto a password-protected UCLA discussion board? It's paragraphs 3-5 I'm interested in. Rather than paraphrase, I'd like to copy something well written to begin with.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And how much money did Coach Carr and the Michigan team bring in just by getting to the Rose Bowl? Millions, I've heard as high as $17million. That alone pays a big part of his contract.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's not quite right. In the Big 10, as in many conferences, the money is divided up more or less equally among all conference teams after the school is reimbursed for expenses. In any case only a small part of a coach's salary comes out of university funds. Most of it comes from boosters.</p>
<p>As my brother in Alabama (a Temple grad from NJ) tells me: "You are either born Alabama or Auburn."</p>
<p>And on a very sad note have you seen this:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Kicker Mario Danelo was found dead Saturday
His body was discovered at the bottom of White Point Cliff in San Pedro, California. The authorities have not released any other details on Danelo's death.</p>
<p>Danelo had an amazing 2005, setting the NCAA record for PATs with 83 and kicking 11-straight field goals.</p>
<p>In 2006 Danelo was extremely accurate, hitting on 16 of 17 field goals.</p>
<p>Danelo is a former walk-on that earned a scholarship and has been the regular place kicker for the past two seasons.</p>
<p>According to the Associated Press, USC Sports Information Director Tim Tessalone said: "We were stunned to hear about this tragedy. This is a great loss. Mario was a wonderful young man of high character.</p>
<p>"He was one heck of a kicker. He was a key ingredient in our success the past two years. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Trojan family go out to the Danelo family on this sad, sad day."</p>
<p>His father Joe Danelo played at Washington State before going to the NFL. He played for the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Buffalo Bills from 1972-1984.
[/quote]
</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>In Alabama, the football coach of The Tide is more important than the Governor.<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Yeah, and he gets paid more too. A lot more. I bet that Saban is the highest-paid public official in the state. In fact the only public officials in ANY state with a remote prayer of earning that kind of salary are other coaches.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And teachers earn $50K
[/quote]
Many college professors earn considerably more than this. </p>
<p>$32M to coach football? It's supply and demand. The University's leaders clearly felt this particular coach was worth this sum to the school and were willing to pay it. I'm sure if they could have retained him for half the price they would have preferred that.</p>
<p>Cangel is spot-on re money for everyone, especially when the team is winning big. Freshman and sophomore year, D got tons of new athletic gear - multiple pair of Nike shoes, what seemed like an entire wardrobe of new clothing - sweats, t-shirts, spandex, socks, even Nike contact lenses, plus brand new luggage for traveling with the team, etc. </p>
<p>Junior year, she received the essentials, but not so much - only two pair of new shoes instead of five, and no where near the amount of clothing, no new luggage, etc., and senior year even less. When I asked why (because I was curious how these things get decided), the answer came back something like "the football team didn't win a bowl game/didn't get a bowl game/didn't get into the right bowl game, therefore, my team doesn't receive as much mioney this year as in prior years...."</p>
<p>And then the football coach was fired...</p>