Pearl gets 9.5 percent raise

Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl

Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl didn't get the big raise some anticipated after Memphis reportedly had interest in hiring him in March.

The University of Tennessee released terms of Pearl's new extended deal on Wednesday, revealing the fifth-year coach received about a 9.5 percent raise.

Pearl's contract averages out to $2.32 million annually over the six years of the new deal, keeping him third among SEC basketball coaches. Kentucky coach John Calipari has a deal worth $3.7 million while Florida's Billy Donovan makes $3.5 million.

Memphis was reportedly willing to offer Pearl $3 million per year, though both parties said there was never any direct communication.

Pearl will make $1.9 million this season, up from his prior contract which called for $1.7 million.

UT athletic director Mike Hamilton and Pearl quickly put speculation to rest, reaching an agreement in principle on April 2.

Pearl signed the contract June 30, a day before heading to Tel Aviv, Israel, where he's coaching the U.S. team in the Maccabiah games.

"Coach Pearl has created a national enthusiasm around our basketball program, raising its expectations and those of our basketball community,'' Hamilton said in a release. "We appreciate everything coach Pearl has accomplished for our basketball in such a short amount of time, and I look forward to many more successful seasons with him at the helm of our program.''

Pearl has averaged 25 wins a season over his four years at UT, winning an outright SEC title and three SEC East championships while qualifying for the NCAA tournament four consecutive years.

During the 2007-08 season, Pearl guided the Vols to the school's first No. 1 ranking in men's basketball, and UT has become the first program in SEC history to finish ahead of Kentucky four consecutive years while also winning a league-high 46 SEC games over the past four years.

We appreciate everything coach Pearl has accomplished for our basketball in such a short amount of time, and I look forward to many more successful seasons with him at the helm of our program.

Mike Hamilton, UT athletic director

Just as in his prior deal, Pearl will receive a $500,000 retention bonus at the end of this season and again at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season.

The new contract maintains the $100,000 "escalator clause'' - a pre-determined annual raise Hamilton uses with other revenue coaches - which boosts Pearl's salary to $2 million for the 2010-11 season, $2.1 million in 2011-12, and so on.

Should Pearl choose to leave the Vols for another job, he would be obligated to pay $1.8 million in 2009, which is believed to rank among the highest buyouts in the country.

"I feel good about the contract and my commitment to the university,'' said Pearl, whose buyout decreases incrementally to $1 million the final year of his contract.

If UT were to fire Pearl, his buyout at the conclusion of next season would be $3.65 million, and $3.35 million at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Men's basketball revenue has doubled since Pearl took over as head coach, going from approximately $4.15 million in 2004-05 to $8.48 million in the 2009 fiscal year.

Pearl is due to return to the U.S. on July 23, at which point he will go on the road recruiting through July 31.

Pearl said he and the U.S. team are enjoying their time in Israel.

"We've had five days of camp, practicing in the mornings, and each afternoon we've been touring the country,'' he said. "The first day we went to some caves, digs and ruins. We spent two days in Jerusalem and visited the Holocaust Museum.

"The weather has been beautiful, and it's been a very cultural experience."

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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