April 13,2007
Athletics Investments Do Not Rob Academics
By Paul R. Krebs, Vice-President for Athletics
The University of New Mexico
Following an intensive month-long search, The University of New Mexico Athletics Department hired Steve Alford as its men's basketball coach on March 23.
A 16-year veteran of the collegiate head coaching ranks, Alford made his mark in the Big 10 conference, both as player and coach. At UNM, he has been given a huge responsibility - re-igniting fan fervor for Lobo men's basketball, a storied program that has lost some of its luster the past few seasons.
Coach Alford has been offered a compensation package worth $975,000 annually, which is about $400,000 more than what his predecessor made. Details of this package are still being worked out, yet it has raised some eyebrows in the community. So I welcome this opportunity to address many of the concerns we've heard that one man's salary is taking money away from academic programs, scholarships and student services.
That is simply not the case.
The Athletics Department budget of approximately $25 million is funded from many sources. Eighty-eight percent comes from funds generated by ticket sales, concessions, corporate sponsorships, NCAA revenues, media contracts and private contributions. Approximately 12 percent of that budget, $2.7 million, comes from state dollars, and many of these dollars fund grants-in-aid scholarships for student athletes.
The Athletics Department is responsible for coaches' salaries, with the money spent being generated by and for athletics. These are not funds that would be used for academic purposes. Coach Alford's base salary is approximately $210,000, comparable to women's basketball coach Don Flanagan and football coach Rocky Long. The remainder of his salary will come from TV, radio, community relations, camps and shoe contracts.
Hiring Steve Alford is a bold move and signals a commitment by UNM to its students and to Lobo fans. We have committed financially to providing quality coaches who we believe will deliver the best possible teams made up of skilled and educated student athletes. Coach Alford's hire is an investment in our men's basketball program and we expect a great return on that investment.
UNM is confident that Coach Alford will help pump excitement back into its basketball program. Coach Alford is an outstanding teacher and recruiter who cares deeply about the student-athlete and whose arrival at the University of New Mexico will begin to re-establish UNM's national reputation in men's basketball. We are also confident that renewed excitement in the program will translate into increased ticket revenue, which has diminished in recent years.
People might argue that a near-million dollar contract is way beyond the average for this state and for the Mountain West Conference. Our response is we have no intention of being average. We want to compete with the best in the country. This investment in Lobo men's basketball says we've readied ourselves to play at the highest level. It will take some time and nurturing to develop a program that will consistently compete with the best in college basketball. We've listened to Lobo fans across the state. That is what they want and it is what they deserve. Steve Alford's hiring is a major step
