 
UT, Mack Brown agree to amend contract
Dec. 9, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas System Board of Regents has approved changes to the contract of head football coach Mack Brown to continue his 2009-10 compensation level to the remaining years of his contract, Men's Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds announced today.
The contract rewards Brown, who has guided Texas to the nation's best record (128-26) over the last 12 seasons, including the 2005 National Championship and a berth in next month's BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.
Brown's contract still runs through the 2016 season. For the current year, he will receive $3 million in salary, plus a one-time $2 million service payment payable on Feb. 1, 2010. The amended contract makes the annual service payment permanent for the remainder of his contract. Brown will continue to receive an annual $100,000 increase as stated in his original contract. Brown's buy-out provisions were also changed, should UT choose to terminate him without cause.
Brown's salary is paid strictly from athletics revenues. No state-appropriated funds or tuition revenue are used.
"Mack is the best college football coach in America and this action recognizes him for that," Dodds said. "He brought new life to our program and he's done it with great integrity and class. He is who we want at Texas for as long as he is willing to serve as our head coach. This will also ensure a smooth transition when Mack decides to hand over the reins to Will Muschamp."
Since taking over a program that was coming off a 4-7 season in 1998 and
that had suffered six non-winning seasons in the 12 years prior to his
arrival, Brown has taken the Horns on a run of consistent success that's
unmatched nationally. He has led UT to a school record 10 (or more) wins in
each of the last nine seasons and at least nine victories in each of his
first 12 seasons with the Longhorns, both the nation's longest active
streaks. Brown has led Texas to six seasons with 11 or more wins, including
a school-record 13 wins in 2005 and 2009.
When Brown took over, Texas had failed to finish a year with a Top 10 ranking since 1983. He has since guided the Horns to Top 10 finishes in six of the last eight seasons and a Top 25 finish in each of his 12 years in Austin. Texas also is riding a streak of 12 straight bowl appearances (best at UT since the Horns went to nine straight bowls from 1977-85) and the Horns five consecutive bowl victories is a UT record. The Longhorns have won seven of their last eight bowl games.
"Mack Brown has built one of the nation's premier football programs, and he's brought credit to our university," University of Texas at Austin President William Powers Jr. said. "He has done an outstanding job, and in the time he's been here, he has generated millions of dollars in new revenue. Mack remains in high demand around the country, and it is vital we have a salary strategy to keep him here."
Longhorns football revenues have more than quadrupled under Brown, from $21.3 million in 1997 to $87.5 million in 2008 (the last year complete data is available). Revenue from the current season is expected to be the same or slightly larger.
Since Brown took the helm of the football program, UT Athletics has completed more than $250 million in construction and renovation projects to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and other football facilities. Stadium seating capacity has increased from 75,512 in 1997 to the current 96,119.
With the added capacity, Texas season ticket sales have increased from about 39,600 in 1997 to a school-record 84,000 in 2009. UT has set school attendance records while playing in front of sellout crowds in each of the last 59 home games. This year, the Longhorns set a single-game attendance record of 101,357 when Texas defeated Kansas on Nov. 21.
Money raised by football goes to pay for all of UT's 20 intercollegiate men's and women's sports and support programs. UT Athletics has also contributed more than $6.6 million to The University for use in academic programs and initiatives since the 2005-06 fiscal year. A minimum of $1 million will also be transferred to campus this fiscal year.
UT Athletics also announced today that Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp has signed his agreement, formally making him football's head coach designate. |
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