WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s football and basketball coaches will take voluntary pay cuts as the school navigates “unprecedented medical and financial uncertainty” amid COVID-19.
Purdue’s Athletics Department announced head football coach Jeff Brohm, men’s basketball coach Matt Painter, and women’s basketball coach Sharon Versyp have volunteered to each take a 20 percent pay cut over the next year. Athletic Director Mike Bobinski agreed to do the same. They will also forego any incentive compensation.
“We knew without fall sports, there was going to be obviously a major shortfall,” Versyp said. “I’m a boilermaker through and through, so for me, it was a sign of leadership.”
Other head coaches and assistant coaches will voluntarily take 15 percent salary reductions.
The announcement comes weeks after Purdue Athletics warned the pandemic could cost the department $50 million, which is half its annual budget.
Bobinski said the adjustments, along with other personnel measures, will result in savings of nearly $5 million dollars over the next 12 months.
In early August, Purdue launched the “More than a Game” campaign in partnership with the John Purdue Club, to help raise money.
As part of the salary reductions, Brohm, Painter, Versyp and Bobinski along with other coaches and administrators say they’ll pledge $1 million to the "More than a Game" campaign.
