🏈 Forbes labels Saban's salary at Alabama 'modest'

[BAMANEWSBOT]

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Critics and fans alike have used many words to describe Alabama coach Nick Saban’s salary, which leads the nation at $5.3 million per year. But “modest” likely wasn’t been one of them — until now.

That’s how Forbes writer Tom Van Riper recently described Saban’s pay. The logic? Given the economic impact Alabama football has made on Tuscaloosa during Saban’s tenure, that price tag isn’t so bad. The Crimson Tide’s success has indirectly caused an upswing in university enrollment, faculty employment and athletics revenue.

“Powerhouse football is nothing new at the school, of course. But powerhouse football in the modern media age means, thanks to games beamed across the country on a regular basis, a national marketing platform unlike anything Bama enjoyed in Bear Bryant’s day.”
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Saban has won three national titles in Tuscaloosa and compiled a 68-13 record since taking over at Alabama in 2007. The school’s revenue flow has increased accordingly: According to Van Riper’s data, taken from USA Today, Alabama recorded revenue of $124.5 million and a profit of $19.4 million in 2012, an increase from $67.7 million in revenue and $7.1 million in profit in ’07. The football program is the money-driver, accounting for around two-thirds of all athletics revenue and $45 million in profit.

But Van Riper said the Saban effect impacts more than just athletics.

“To appreciate just how modest Saban’s $5.3 million salary is, take a wider look around campus. Since 2007, Tuscaloosa has swelled its undergraduate ranks by 33% to over 28,000 students. Faculty count has kept pace: up 400 since 2007 to over 1,700. But it’s more than growth – it’s where the growth is coming from. According to the school, less than a third of the 2007 freshman class of 4,538 students hailed from out of state. By the fall of 2012, more than half (52%) of a freshman class of 6,397 students did. Various data from US News and the New York Times shows that the school’s out-of-state tuition cost –- nearly three times higher than the rate for in-state students –- rose from $18,000 to $22,950 a year during that period.”
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Likewise, Alabama’s admissions process has enjoyed more selectivity during the Saban tenure. According to the report, 64 percent of students applying to Alabama were accepted in 2007. In ’12, 53 percent were accepted, and around one in four students from that class carried a 4.0 high school GPA. Mary Spieigel, executive director of undergraduate admissions, told Van Riper that the university has never before lured such quality students to campus.

Perhaps describing Saban’s salary as “modest” is a stretch, but it’s hard to argue the correlation between the school’s football success and the improvements taking place on the academic side.

 

[MidGATide]

As a business owner this is an ROI like no other. Fill in the numbers Coach, just fill in the numbers!!

 

[TerryP]

As a business owner this is an ROI like no other. Fill in the numbers Coach, just fill in the numbers!!

When he was hired and we saw so many throwing the line out there "Bama decided to buy wins," etc., I didn't have any issue with those statements. It was true.

At the same time I kept pointing to Oklahoma and what happened with their Athletic revenues when they hired Stoops. Now, we were dealing with figures that ran along the 60-70MM range back then but the point was OU had doubled their revenue from 1999-2005 largely in part of the hiring of Stoops.

I also cautioned, this time using Spurrier at South Carolina, that those being critical would see benefits across the board at the University. Following his hiring in the fall of 2004, they saw around a 10% increase in freshman applications in the fall of 2005. Again, pointing to another school, I suggested the same would happen at UA.

Here's something I really find interesting.

When he was hired his first year he made around 3.8MM which was roughly .06% of our total in athletic revenues. Now, we see that our athletic revenues have doubled and even with his raises throughout the years his salary is a little over .04% of our total athletic revenues.

Now, all his money doesn't come from those funds. Very little of the total figure comes from the University coffers. Still, it strikes me that percentage is almost cut in half while the total revenues have doubled.

 

[planomateo]

Another forum I post on here in Texas, non-sports related someone posted the article about the highest paid state employees last week when the article came out.

My comment was...(a few days later the Forbes article came out).

And they said he was overpaid back in late 2004...

 

[riz]

Forbes takes the butthurt football rival out of the equation.