The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved Thursday a pay raise for UW athletic director Barry Alvarez, women’s basketball coach Jonathan Tsipis and football coaches Paul Chryst, Joe Rudolph and Jim Leonhard.
The salary amendment was first considered following the 13-win season of the UW football team, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
But the amendment was not formally approved until Thursday afternoon. Justin Doherty, a spokesman for UW Athletics, commented on behalf of the Board of Regents committee.
“The Board of Regents approved the contractual amendments they were asked to consider this afternoon in regard to UW athletics staff,” Doherty said.
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Under the new terms, Chryst is expected to make $3.3 million in 2018, with his salary increasing by $100,000 each year of his five year contract. Rudolph and Leonhard, the other UW football coaches, are set to make $600,000 and $650,000, respectively, this year, with Leonhard’s salary increasing $25,000 every year.
Tsipis, the women’s basketball coach, makes $625,000 per year. Under the new terms, he will receive a $25,000 raise next year. Alvarez, meanwhile, now makes $1.125 million per year in his 14th season as UW athletic director.
The salary hike comes in light of an increase in the price of football and volleyball game tickets. Football season tickets will increase $6 next season, which is expected to make roughly $2 million in additional revenue, while volleyball tickets will hike anywhere from $5 to $35 next season.
Many UW students, who make up a large portion of the crowd in Camp Randall on game days, are unhappy with the rise in ticket prices and the increase in coaching salaries.
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UW sophomore Peter Hotvedt said the salary increase is an unnecessary extra burden on the students.
“I’m already paying a lot to go here, and I don’t see why it’s completely necessary to raise the pay of football coaches,” Hotvedt said. “I understand we had a fantastic season this year, but maybe something like [a fantastic season] constitutes a bonus. An increase in regular salary seems a little over the top.”
Despite reservations about having to pay a little more to jump around, Hotvedt said the increase in ticket prices won’t stop him from going to the games.
“I’ll still go since it’s such a fun time, but I’m going to have to remain conscious of how much money I’m spending in order to go,” Hotvedt said.
