Mark Stoops is prepared to give money back to support UK during COVID-19 pandemic
Coaches in the University of Kentucky athletic department have not openly discussed the notion of giving back some of their salary to the school, but it has “certainly” crossed the mind of football head coach Mark Stoops.
“I’m prepared to give back,” Stoops told reporters during a video teleconference Friday morning. It was his first availability to the media since the Southeastern Conference canceled its spring sports season as part of efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, or the coronavirus.
“Chantel (Stoops’ wife) and I have been active in this community for a long time, and it’s really important for us to give back right now,” Stoops said. “But it’s also important we give back to the university if need be. We haven’t talked about that.”
It’s probably too early right now, Stoops said, for UK’s administration to determine the impact the pandemic will have on the next academic year, which begins in August. The NCAA announced Thursday that its annual distribution to Division I schools would be $225 million, down from the $600 million total it had budgeted prior to COVID-19 disrupting its winter championships and spring sports seasons.
Most of the NCAA’s revenue comes from TV and marketing rights from the men’s basketball tournament. The Southeastern Conference in January evenly distributed about $651 million to its 14 member schools, a figure that included NCAA Tournament revenues from 2018 as well as money generated by the College Football Playoff and league championship events.
Stoops agreed to a new contract a few days before the 2019 season kicked off. It gave him an annual raise of $500,000 for each year remaining on his deal, which was extended to June 30, 2025. He is set to make $5 million during the 2020 season.
Additionally, five UK assistant football coaches have received raises since the conclusion of the 2019 season.
Several professional athletes have donated parts of their salaries in support of COVID-19 relief and some NBA league executives, including league commissioner Adam Silver, have taken reductions in their salary to alleviate financial turmoil.
Locally, Kentucky State University baseball coach Rob Henry recently returned money generated via a sponsorship from Staxx BBQ to the Frankfort-owned business.
“I could have kept the $500 and the relationship, or I could give back the money and build a better relationship,” Henry told The State Journal.
Stoops is open to giving back to UK in order to make sure it has the ability to continue putting resources into players’ on- and off-field development.
“We are continuing to develop our players in all areas of their life, and that does take a strong financial commitment,” Stoops said. “It takes great support from our university, that they’ve given us, and we constantly want to do those things to help develop these players and develop this program. It’s important.
“What we do on the field is important to Kentucky, to this state. We want to represent this state the right way.”
Season tickets
Stoops later was asked, if he were a fan, how he and his family would evaluate a decision to renew or purchase season tickets for the 2020 football season.
UK this week extended its football season-ticket renewal deadlines and amended some payment options to allow for greater flexibility. It also delayed the start of its seat-upgrade process to a to-be-determined date in May.
“It’s very hard for me to speak for other people,” Stoops said. “Myself, personally, I would just take it one day at a time like everybody in this country and the majority of the world has to do right now.”
Kentucky sold about 17,000 season-ticket packages during an early-release window prior to general sales started on Feb. 14. That was up from 15,000 during the same early-release period in 2019.
“I would hate to speak for other people, but I would like to say thank you,” Stoops said. “It was very important, it was very nice to see the support and people continuing to increase our season-ticket sales. We need that. ...
“Obviously, safety comes first and financially, I completely understand it because things have changed from the last time I talked to you and the last time I asked for that support. Things have changed for a lot of people.”
