Texas Tech Slashes Salaries and Workforce in Athletics Department
The coronavirus has claimed victims in many ways.
The long-term effects of the reaction to the virus will be felt for years to come. The short-term effects are just as devastating in the real world. Staff at the Texas Tech Athletics Department found that out in a very real way with the elimination of 40 positions and a department-wide round of salary reductions.
"Today was an extremely difficult and challenging day for Texas Tech Athletics," Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said in a statement from the university. "COVID-19 has had a major financial impact on our athletics department, and it was necessary to make these very difficult decisions. We will continue to support our student-athletes and each other as we move forward."
With a reduced capacity at the Jones this season and cuts the department has already made Texas Tech has budgeted for a $25 million dollar shortfall in revenue compared to last year. A year without the College World Series and March Madness was still more productive than a year without a complete football season.
According to the statement from Texas Tech, they will reduce the salary for all employees earning at least $30,000 per year based on the employee's salary. All of the university's coaches have also voluntarily agreed to not take any performance bonuses over the next year.
Unfortunately, this won't be the last set of cuts that the university will have to make in the face of today's landscape. The good news, if you can call it that, is that Texas Tech will still be able to create some type of revenue this off-season as opposed to every team in the Pac 12 and Big 10, who have canceled their seasons this fall.
Other Big 12 schools are feeling the pressure, but the reactions have been strikingly different. For example, Kansas will not be allowing fans into the stadium for their first home game, while Iowa State will allow the largest percentage of fans at around 40 percent capacity. Texas Tech is still only allowing 25 percent capacity to start the season.
If the financial struggle continues and the coronavirus numbers improve in the slightest, Texas Tech will have to make the tough decision to allow 50 percent or more of Jones AT&T Stadium to be occupied on gameday.