How Dan Hurley’s UConn pay ranks among highest-paid coaches
STORRS, Conn. (BVM) – UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley ranks among the highest-paid college basketball coaches.
Hurley officially agreed to a new six-year, $50 million contract on Monday, representing a nearly $3 million annual raise. This signing replaces the six-year, $32.1 million contract extension he signed last year – which made him the No. 7 highest-paid college basketball coach for the 2023-24 season.
Despite securing back-to-back national championships and receiving a raise, Hurley is still not the highest-paid coach in college basketball.
Highest-paid college basketball coach for 2024-25 season?
Hurley will be the No. 3 highest-paid coach for the 2024-25 season, earning $7.8 million (not including incentives), per USA Today’s salary database.
Kansas coach Bill Self will be the No. 1 highest-paid coach for the upcoming season, followed by Arkansas coach John Calipari, who will earn about $8 million entering his first season with the Razorbacks ($1 million of which is coming from his signing bonus).
Highest-paid college basketball coach based on AAV?
With his six-year, $50 million contract, Hurley’s Annual Average Value (AAV) is $8.33 million – making him the overall No. 2 highest-paid coach in college basketball, according to USA Today’s salary database.
Hurley’s AAV trails only behind Bill Self ($10.6 million).
Would Dan Hurley have made more money with the Lakers?
Hurley’s rumored offer from the Los Angeles Lakers was a six-year, $70 million contract ($11.7 million annual average), which would have made him one of the NBA’s highest-paid coaches.
While Hurley would have supposedly earned more money in LA – the offer simply wasn’t the financial figure he needed to make the move.
“Like again, this wasn’t some like pressure tactic to make me the highest-paid college coach – that s— was already done,” Hurley previously said on the Dan Le Batard Show with Stu Gotz. “But to leave a place that you feel the way we do and the family connection with my wife and my sons, my mother-in-law, my father who I know how much it means to my dad to go to the Big East Tournament and to come to 10 UConn games a year at home and sit courtside when I’m coaching against Rick Patino.
“Yeah, to leave all that behind, there probably is a number. I don’t know what that is.”
UConn men’s basketball finances
Hurley’s raise will be covered by increased ticket sales revenue and donations from the Husky Athletic Fund.
In fiscal year 2023, the UConn men’s basketball team was the No. 1 highest revenue-generating sports program on campus, bringing in $10.6 million. However, expenses out-weights revenue, leaving a deficit of -$3.3 million,
Ticket sales made men’s basketball the No. 1 most in-demand sports program on UConn’s campus. Men’s hoops ticket sales increased by 37% (from $4.5 million in FY2022 to $6.3 million in FY2023).
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season, Hurley will enter his seventh year at Connecticut with an impressive overall record of 141-58 (.709). The Huskies are aiming for their third consecutive national title and have secured the No. 11 recruiting class for the 2024 cycle.
