Tom Burman's contract, unless there was an unreported extension between 2022 and now, expires on June 30, 2025. I do not believe there is a "buyout" in Burman's deal, and because it expires in 7 months it's likely moot. Burman's total comp would place UW in the top half for AD salaries.
Jay Sawvel's contract is in force through Dec. 31, 2028. Sawvel is paid a "base" of $300k per year, with additional "guaranteed" comp of $800,000 through the first three years. In years four and five of his deal, Sawvel is due $350,000 in base and additional guaranteed comp of $900,000. Sawvel can earn incentive bonuses of up to $250,000 in the first three years, and up to $350,000 in the last two years for academic performance, ticket revenue, and on-field performance.
As has been outlined on this website previously, the terms "base" and "guaranteed" are nothing more than paperwork to support the AD's accounting needs. The contract is explicit that if Sawvel is fired without cause UW will owe Sawvel the remaining "base" and "guaranteed" comp for the years left on his deal.
If Sawvel is terminated at the end of the season, UW will owe him $4.7 million. That buyout would almost certainly be paid out over the remaining four years of the deal, rather than all at once. If he is terminated after NEXT season, the buyout will be $3.6 million.
The key driver for the AD right now is the House Settlement, which will reduce NCAA payouts to member institutions by about $500,000 annually beginning in 2025 while also specifically allowing direct payments to athletes by institutions of up to $20 million annually. Schools around the country are working to fundraise to support House payments. SEC schools like Tennessee are implementing a "talent fee" on every football ticket sold. I am sure the reason Burman sent out that stupid letter was to begin to get fans comfortable with something like this going forward.
Now what about the MW exit fees... According to my math and reading, and confirmed by
research by Chris Murray in Reno, Wyoming will receive a one-time payment of $10.35 million in June of 2026 if all the MW exit fees are paid by the departing schools. Unfortunately, the MW grant of rights agreement that secured the conference's future calls for $18 million of the exit fees to be held in reserve by the MW to recruit other member schools. If this remains the case, Wyoming's 2026 payout would go down to about $7 million. Note that all of this is separate from the "poaching" penalties that are subject to litigation. The total poaching penalty the MW believes it is owed is $55 million. Wyoming is presumably due 11.5% of that, or about $6.325 million. Whether Wyoming and the MW ever collects any of this money is very uncertain. Personally, I wouldn't budget against it.
And finally, we have media rights. The same Grant of Rights agreement cited above puts a new media rights deal at the foundation of this whole house of cards. Schools are guaranteed at least $3.5 million per year in media revenue through 2032. If the conference falls below that, the GOR is no longer valid and the whole conference goes away. My guess, though it's not in writing anywhere in the various MW agreements, is that the $18 million slush fund held in reserve by the MW will eventually be tapped to keep our media rights payments at the guaranteed level.
I am posting this so everyone can be armed with the facts of the situation. None of the above is in dispute, and is all based on public reporting and review, when available, of the contracts and legal filings.
gowyo.com
