UGA news: No pay cuts anticipated for Georgia football, basketball coaches

In the latest UGA news out of Athens, athletic director Greg McGarity seems confident the Georgia athletics coaches will not be forced to take a pay cut.

In the absence of any sports going on, if you’re looking for some positive UGA news, athletic director Greg McGarity may have given you exactly what you were looking for.

While some colleges, both large and small, are forcing football and basketball coaches to take furloughs and cuts in pay, the football and basketball coaching staff at the University of Georgia would appear to be safe for now.

McGarity via OnlineAthens.com:

“Some institutions are doing so just to be whole in this fiscal year which ends June 30. Some institutions are struggling, obviously, to get to that point so they have no alternative. Other schools are dependent on state funds. The only fees we receive outside of what we generate ourselves are our student fees. That’s a very small portion of our total budget.”

While is reassuring to know that UGA’s financial situation may not be quite as dire as some schools, that may be of little comfort to a fanbase who has been forced into their “new normal”, which may include everything from being unable to work in their regular office to even forced furloughs or unemployment.

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UGA has reportedly lost approximately $800k in student fees due to the coronavirus lockdown that forced the school to close classrooms and on-campus buildings. Those fees, while not crucial to the athletics department, do go towards the maintenance of athletics facilities and tickets.

Coaches at sister SEC East school Missouri have taken a voluntary pay cut.

Of course, none of this will matter should the 2020 football and basketball seasons be canceled, delayed, severely shortened, or played without fans in attendance. The revenue generated from these two sports not only sustains many of the smaller sports, but also pays for student-athlete wellness, facilities, and more.

This is a fluid situation to watch, but for now, it appears Georgia is on schedule to pay their coaches as planned and are working with the COVID-19 task force and other state officials to plan for the school to open in some capacity.