In the first of what will likely be many of these announcements, Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard announced Wednesday that Cyclones coaches will endure pay cuts as the athletics department tightens its belt due to the coronavirus crisis.
"I could not be prouder of all our coaches and staff for uniting as one on these tough decisions that will save over $4M annually," Pollard tweeted.
While specific cuts were not revealed, Pollard announced coaches across the athletics department will see a combined one year, temporary reduction of $3 million in their salaries.
Additionally, Iowa State will institute a one year suspension of bonus payments for all coaches.
Those moves will save the department $4 million, which nearly covers the $5 million Iowa State lost in the cancellation of the Big 12 and NCAA basketball tournaments.
(Which makes one shudder at the moves Iowa State and others would have to make if the football season were canceled.)
In conjunction with the move, Iowa State offered its fans relief by delaying and/or freezing escalations on ticket prices and due dates on donations.
"I want to thank President Wintersteen and her senior leadership team for supporting these initiatives. I also want to thank everyone in our athletics department, especially our head coaches, for accepting these decisions unselfishly and helping lead us through this challenge," Pollard said.
"We have an incredible culture in our athletics department. It is grounded on our ability to strategize, execute and outwork the competition, while demonstrating great compassion, empathy and courage."
Iowa State paid its coaches $17.2 million in fiscal year 2019, 18.2 percent of its total budget, according to the Des Moines Register.
Matt Campbell is the highest-paid of all Iowa State coaches at $3.6 million. His pay has grown by $1.6 million since his 2016 hiring. Defensive coordinator Jon Heacock made $850,000 in 2019, while offensive coordinator Tom Manning made $650,000.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.