A staggering 98 percent of the current $39-million contract Adidas has with the University of Louisville has been paid to men's basketball coach Rick Pitino, Kentucky state records obtained by the Courier-Journal's Andrew Wolfson show.
Such contracts between apparel makers and big-name schools and coaches are not uncommon, but there is generally some expectation that a portion of the funds go to the respective university. In 2014-15 at Louisville, however, $1.5 million went to Pitino, while just $10,000 went to the school.
The Adidas angle remains a major component in the FBI's NCAA corruption investigation. A company executive was arrested in the probe, amid allegations Pitino helped arrange a $100,000 payment to blue-chip recruit Brian Bowen, facilitated by Adidas.
Louisville's five-year apparel deal with Adidas expires next July, when a new 10-year, $160 million pact is set to take effect. However, with Pitino's dismissal now a formality and the program ensnared in the scandal, the contract's future is unclear.
John_Footcock on October 6th, 2017 at 15:14 UTC »
He's making all that money all while his players are playing for free. I still can't believe they can get away with using free labor for their business.
A40 on October 6th, 2017 at 14:56 UTC »
Corruption and waste. Shame, U of L.
Esmiguel79 on October 6th, 2017 at 14:37 UTC »
Scumbag. And he was on pace to make another 155mil over the next decade doing the same shit? Fuck him.