Report: Pitino received 98 percent of Louisville's Adidas money
Oct 6, 2017 - 2:12 AM Suspended Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino received 98 percent of the money from the university's current contract with Adidas, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported Thursday.According to the newspaper, Pitino got $1.5 million of the money as part of his personal services agreement with the shoe and apparel firm, with the school getting only $25,000. The prior year, Pitino received $1.5 million and Louisville got $10,000, per the Courier-Journal.
The contract with Adidas expired on July 1. In August, Louisville announced a new 10-year, $160-million deal with the company. ESPN reported that the deal is the sixth largest shoe and apparel deal in college sports.
At the time, athletic director Tom Jurich said the proceeds are "for the athletic department. It's for these student-athletes. It's been earmarked for them."
Since making that statement, Jurich was placed on paid leave after an FBI probe revealed corruption, bribery and fraud involving a number of the top college basketball programs.
An athletic department spokesman defended Jurich and Pitino.
"Players come here in part because of Coach Pitino. Coaching is part of what we give to student-athletes," Kenny Klein told the Courier-Journal last month before the FBI investigation resulted in suspensions of Jurich and Pitino.
Interim Louisville president Greg Postel said the university is trying to determine if the Adidas money is "tainted" in any way.
The Courier-Journal provided details of the new Adidas contract, which calls for the company to give the Louisville program $79 million in cash over 10 years, as well as shoes and apparel. It is unclear how much of the money under the new deal would go to coaches.
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