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.
thegraverobber on October 6th, 2017 at 19:11 UTC »
Rick is going to be SHOCKED to hear this.
Ironicalogical on October 6th, 2017 at 17:08 UTC »
Don't the universities or NCAA have oversight over this shit? Who in their right mind (AD, board, president, janitor...anyone!) think it would be acceptable for the head coach to pocket essentially ALL the money? WUT?!
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.