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The University of Maryland rewarded its football coaches with more than $671,000 in contract bonuses for reaching and winning a mid-level bowl game in 2022.
The school, though, did not make any profit from its postseason appearance, according to budget records obtained by The Baltimore Sun.
The report revealed that the Terrapins spent more than they earned from the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, which they won by beating North Carolina State, resulting in a net loss of $176,302.
The bonuses, which were split among 18 coaches and staff members, were part of the escalating arms race for college athletics talent as Maryland tried to compete with other Big Ten programs.
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The largest bonus went to coach Mike Locksley, who received $220,000 for leading the team to its first bowl victory since 2010.
Maryland's athletics program is under fire for lavish rewards amidst student fee reliance. However, one fan posted on Reddit:
“Most schools lose money on bowl games. They’re doing great if they can break even,” a fan wrote on Reddit.
“This team went from not winning a bowl game for over a decade to three straight bowl wins. Not any bowl worth a damn but at least it gives the fans something better than the last decade from hell,” one wrote.
“Imagine not going to CFP game as a 12 seed because you don’t want to lose $2 million per game you advance,” another wrote.
“It's more of a bonus for having a record good enough for the bowl game, not for the bowl game itself,” a fan commented.
“At this point, they’re trying to twist anything to be some outrage,” another reacted.
Maryland students play a vital role in fueling university's sports programs
Playing in Bowl games has multiple benefits, according to Jason Yellin, a spokesperson for the athletics department.
Firstly, it generates excitement among fans, increases the visibility of the program, and helps with recruiting. Additionally, bowl games provide teams with extra practice time, which is not otherwise allowed by NCAA rules, enabling the team to prepare for the next season.
“We’ve won bowl games in three consecutive seasons for the first time ever,” Yellin said. ”So, I think these are great strides and demonstrate the future is really strong.”
Reportedly, the athletics department at Maryland does not receive funding from the state government. However, students are required to pay an athletics fee of $399 per year, which subsidizes the athletics budget.
Student fees were the third-largest revenue source for the department last fiscal year, after the $57.1 million received from the Big Ten Conference distributions and the $12.8 million earned from ticket sales.
Bonuses for coaches are becoming more common and lucrative in college sports. According to the USA Today, the highest-paid coach among public schools was Jim Harbaugh, who earned $3 million in bonuses during his national championship season at Michigan.
Harbaugh is now the coach of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers, and his total compensation was over $8 million.
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