Athletics Announces Pay Cuts, Furloughs

Posted on Sept. 3, 2020

Carolina athletics, facing projected revenue losses of $30 million to $52 million, has announced salary reductions for the higher paid coaches and staff and 15-day furloughs for others.

In a letter to the department, Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham said that starting Oct. 1, coaches and staff members making $200,000 or more will have their salaries reduced 20 percent, those making $100,000 to $200,000 will have theirs cut 10 percent, and those who make less than $100,000 will be furloughed. The salary cuts will be in effect through June 30, 2021.

“As you know, we already have cut our sport budgets by 10 percent for 2020-21, implemented a spending freeze, halted non-essential travel and left 17 full-time open positions in the department unfilled,” Cunningham wrote.

The department, which supports 28 varsity sports, makes money through ticket sales, sponsorship and television revenue, conference distributions and concessions sales.

UNC is scheduled to open the football season Sept. 12 at home. It plans to play games through September with no fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cunningham wrote that the reductions would not cover projected losses in revenue in 2020-21 and that the department would seek additional ways to “address our financial challenges and prepare for the future.”

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