Well now, let me tell ya a bit about them basketball coaches and what they earn. So, I been hearin’ folks talk about James Madison University’s basketball coach salary, and it seems like ol’ Coach Mark Byington’s makin’ quite a bit. From what I hear, he’s gettin’ a base salary of around $445,000, and that’s before any extra stuff gets tacked on. Seems like they got some private funds bringin’ in another $155,000, which is a big ol’ help, ain’t it? This here contract of his says that by the time 2023-24 rolls around, he could be takin’ home more than $650,000. That’s more money than most folks around here see in their whole life, ya know?
Now, James Madison University, they’ve been real serious about their basketball team. It ain’t just about the coach, but also about what they’re willin’ to pay to get the right person in charge. See, they got another coach over there, a feller named Preston Spradlin, who came over from Morehead State. Ain’t no doubt, they moved real quick to fill that spot when Mark Byington packed up and left. That’s how important they see it, gettin’ the right folks on board.
Well, when we talk about how much coaches get paid, it’s not just James Madison’s coaches that make big money. You got fellers like Bill Self from Kansas, who’s pullin’ in a hefty $9.6 million. I reckon that’s a whole lot more than what Coach Byington’s makin’, but ya gotta understand, Kansas is a big name in college basketball, and that money don’t come easy. His contract even includes a lifetime deal that’ll pay him $53 million for the first five years. Now, that’s a hefty chunk of change, I tell ya!
But, let’s not get too excited about those big numbers, ’cause not every coach makes that kind of money. Take Johnny Jones at Texas Southern, for instance. His salary for 2021 was $250,000, which is a lot more realistic for many folks. And there’s another feller, Eric Henderson at South Dakota State, he was makin’ $275,000 in 2021. These ain’t the big names like Bill Self, but they still make a decent livin’.
Back to James Madison though, they’re not just throwin’ money around willy-nilly. The highest salary they paid in 2023 was $557,374. Now, that’s a mighty big salary in its own right, but it’s still a far cry from what them big-time schools pay their coaches. I reckon that’s the difference between bein’ a top-tier school and one that’s still workin’ its way up.
One thing that’s clear as day, though, is that college basketball is a big ol’ business. It don’t matter where you are, from the smallest schools to the big dogs like Kansas, they’re all makin’ sure their coaches are taken care of, because they know that good coaches bring in the crowds and the money. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, right? Money talks.
Now, I know I’m just an ol’ country gal, but even I can see that these numbers don’t lie. If you’re a basketball coach and you’re serious about it, you can make a pretty penny. But if you’re like me, well, you’ll just be sittin’ back watchin’ these high-falutin’ coaches rake in the cash, while you’re tryin’ to make sure the chickens are fed and the garden’s growin’ right.
But, hey, we all got our roles to play. Some folks shoot hoops, others plant crops. And in the end, it’s all part of the big ol’ picture, ain’t it?
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