Records: Ishbia, St. Andre paying $24 million towards Tucker's $95 million salary
Per the Freep...
"Mat Ishbia and Steve St. Andre will donate a combined $24 million towards the salary of Mel Tucker over the next decade, according to records released after a Detroit Free Press lawsuit. The donations do not specify Tucker's name, but St. Andre's gift says he would like it to be used for the "recruitment and retention for the MSU Men's Intercollegiate Football Team."
That leaves the school on the hook for the other $71 million of Tucker's 10-year, $95 million salary."
MSU's misinformation and/or trying to keep the details of this contract going public smells a lot like regret from day 1. Here's to hoping he sticks around for the entirey of this contract.
December 22nd, 2022 at 4:33 PM ^
Being both very successful over the long term, isn't feasible, because there are only so many elite recruits to get in the Michigan Ohio area. Dantonio had success only because he was able to tap into all the Ohio recruits that normally came to us. His association with Tressel, who funneled the plan B guys, did it. And historically it has shown this, that both teams were very good for a long stretch at the same time.
December 23rd, 2022 at 9:41 PM ^
He also had solid Ohio recruiting because of his time at Cincinnati. Southwest Ohio football is always the best (in Ohio). This is why Fickell and Kelly were able to make Cincy a respectable team, as well. It's actually a school with tons of potential because of the local high schools. You have to be a real moron (Tuberville) to completely fail there.
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:54 PM ^
Best take. Exactly right imo. A program like MSU can only hope to throw hail marys and hope something connects.
Kind of like their offense.
December 22nd, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
Tuck Running needs to give K-9 half his salary every year.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:01 PM ^
Hey, that’s only $1.5M per win paid by the university this year. Good deal!
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:18 PM ^
That means they got beat up by Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio State at home for free!
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:21 PM ^
Except it didn't buy them the only win they care about.
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:00 PM ^
Wins over Michigan since MSU guaranteed Mel Tucker $95M:
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December 22nd, 2022 at 12:10 PM ^
Who knew a 5-7 coach from Colorado would be the smartest one in the room.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:13 PM ^
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Isn't the trope from both the University and sparty fans that the school is only on the hook for half of $95 million? I'm no math expert but $24 million isn't half....they should have not have gotten rid of their remedial math classes at MSU.
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:26 PM ^
I think it was probably phrased ambiguously on purpose by MSU. Maybe the $24mil covers half of the INCREASE of the extension from the original contract (fewer years but still about $6M per IIRC).
Bigger issue is I believe the new contract is FULLY guaranteed so they are on the hook for that $95MM (barring an Urban Meyer-style ethics violation) even if they decide to jettison Tucker after a few more years.
Still wondering if the direct donation to cover a men's sport coaches salary is a Title IX issue..
December 22nd, 2022 at 5:38 PM ^
They way Sparty fans talked about this, the donors were covering the whole thing.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:20 PM ^
lolololololololol
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:23 PM ^
Ha! It's not a binary world. ROTFL. LMFAO.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^
I'd say this was being discussed passionately by the Spartan-faithful on the RCMB, but they're still obsessing about why Mazi Smith isn't doing hard time yet.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:33 PM ^
Toxic program. Only more bad things are going to come from this rivalry in the next 5 years. Tucker has firmed his identity and his salary as the coach that can beat Michigan from his 2-0 start. When he continues to fail at that in the foreseeable future I expect more violence from his already violent players.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
That is what I am afraid of and next year game is in their stadium.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:43 PM ^
"Hostile" will be an understated way to describe the environment in EL next season.
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:14 PM ^
Toxic when they win, toxic when they lose. I wish they were off our schedule for a while.
That contract though. Wtf.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
So it's a running donation commitment with "hooks" on its target usage. Seems standard.
Of course, MSU might have an interesting time of it if the checks don't show up in a timely manner at some point. True: not our problem - but it surely would a fun bit of Sparty Entertainment!
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
I wonder if those Billionaires think they are getting their money's worth.
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
A gap of $71m that they tried to cover with millions of additional legal bills
December 22nd, 2022 at 12:54 PM ^
Why did everyone assume Isbia and St Andre were paying the full amount?
Looks like to me that MSU is paying the Dantonio rate more or less and these guys upped it to retain.
Pretty smart assume that MSU paying 6 per year would be pretty reasonable in today's world.
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:22 PM ^
I think the only people that assumed the donors were paying the salary were the MSU people that were looking at a way to justify a fully gaurenteed contract with flimsy data to suggest it's worth it, while at the same time MSU is cutting swimming and diving and asking faculty to serve meals in the dinning halls. Not to mention it's a public university that still takes fees from students for the athletic department. They are not like UM or OSUs ADs that are fully self sustaining. It was more like hope, that donors were footing the bill so they can go on their podcast and say that ridiculuous gaurenteed number doesn't matter since it's not coming from MSU.
December 22nd, 2022 at 5:01 PM ^
That makes more sense. I don't pay attention to many MSU people.
How does Faculty serving meals involve the AD? I understand the swimming and diving
December 22nd, 2022 at 1:38 PM ^
I actually don't think any of this info needs to be public other than the amount the school pays Tucker.
These are very smart businesspeople that are used to relatively prompt ROI. If MSU isn't good next year, more attention and $$ will go towards the PHX Suns.
December 22nd, 2022 at 3:54 PM ^
Oh gosh no, public availability of public contracts is essential otherwise you end up with mass corruption and misuses of taxpayers money
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:05 PM ^
Yikes
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:57 PM ^
Truly shocking that MSU misreported a story so that it makes them sound like big boys when in fact they got played by some alumni who absolutely want all the publicity but none of the downside risk.
December 22nd, 2022 at 2:59 PM ^
But they didn’t have money for a new pool and cut womens swimming leaving to a lawsuit. Also wonder if all the Nassar victims got there money yet.
on a less serious note I find it hilarious that state has to overpay for a mediocre coach and some of these fans convince themselves having that dude is the only way to compete looking forward ton4-5 years of 500 football from them.
December 22nd, 2022 at 3:57 PM ^
On one level I sympathize with them. They are a half descent historical program, but outside of East Lansing are not considered a blue blood, but they DESPERATELY want to be one and they can see as all of us should they will be swallowed by NIL and become just another 2nd rate feeder school to the true bloodbloods. Its inevitable.
This was their shot, they shot it.
December 22nd, 2022 at 3:37 PM ^
Imagine the regret Mat and Steve must be feeling.
December 22nd, 2022 at 5:03 PM ^
That is one epically dumb contract. Amazing that a public university would get involved in that type of deal. What is one more embarrassment at this point for MSU? Does it even register for them anymore? Or is this just standard operating procedure?
Start recruiting the state pen, make your jerseys clown suits, only hire overpaid nephews, clear cut the campus, abolish sidewalks and ban water. Might as well.
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
More like ragret than regret.
December 22nd, 2022 at 7:05 PM ^
Money well spent. Can’t argue with they titans of business acumen.