Adia Barnes could have earned $50,000 in performance bonuses by leading the UA to a pair of NCAA Tournament victories this weekend in McKale Center.
Instead, Barnes’ bonuses — and those of men’s basketball coach Sean Miller and other coaches — are unknown after the NCAA tournaments and all spring sports were canceled because of the coronavirus. A UA spokesman said athletic director Dave Heeke is still working through what the school will do to address the bonus situation.
Miller does not receive a bonus for making the NCAA Tournament but receives escalating bonuses for each round, starting with $25,000 for winning the first game.
Barnes, meanwhile, had the potential to trigger multiple bonuses this weekend — especially since ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, ranked No. 12 nationally, was likely to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
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The Wildcats (24-7) were viewed as a certainty to make the tournament, which would have triggered a $10,000 bonus for Barnes. Barnes could have earned another $50,000 if the Wildcats won their first two tournament games — $20,000 for one win, $25,000 for a second win and $5,000 extra for reaching 25 wins on the season.
Two or three wins in the NCAA Tournament might have also pushed the Wildcats into a final Top 10 ranking, which would have given Barnes a total ranking bonus of $10,000 instead of $5,000. Barnes’ contract calls for a $5,000 bonus for finishing between No. 11 and No. 15 in either of the major polls, and $10,000 for finishing in the Top 10.
NCAA Tournament games are the biggest factor in Barnes’ performance bonus structure. Barnes is also scheduled to receive $30,000 for a Sweet 16 win and $40,000 for making the Final Four, plus another $50,000 for winning the national championship. Barnes makes a base of $400,000 annually as part of a contract that was reworked last summer.
Barnes has already triggered a $5,000 bonus for winning between 20-24 games.
Miller’s postseason bonuses are a much smaller percentage of his $2.8 million total guaranteed compensation, which includes $1.7 million in base pay, $700,000 for peripheral duties such as his weekly radio show and $200,000 each from Nike and IMG.
Miller’s contact calls for a $25,000 bonus if the Wildcats win their first NCAA Tournament game and an extra $50,000 if they win the second one to reach the Sweet 16. Miller receives another $50,000 for reaching the Elite Eight and $175,000 if they reach the Final Four. A national championship is worth an extra $500,000.
The only performance bonus Miller has already triggered is $20,000 for winning between 20-24 games. The Wildcats finished 21-11. At the time the season was canceled, the UA was unranked.
Both Miller and Barnes can receive academic bonuses based have grade-point averages and Academic Progress Rating results, but GPAs are not released and APRs are not announced until May.
Coaches of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s spring sports could also lose out on performance bonuses because of cancellations. Softball coach Mike Candrea has received bonuses of $5,000 for winning the Pac-12 title and $7,500 for reaching the NCAA Super Regional in the past. Baseball coach Jay Johnson’s contract calls for $10,000 for winning the Pac-12, $5,000 for making the NCAA Tournament, $10,000 for advancing to the Super Regional and $35,000 for a College World Series appearance — with another $50,000 if the Wildcats win it all.