John Calipari shares boneheaded message about players earning more money than coaches while calling for reform
It is undeniable that the current landscape in college athletics is completely broken. There are seemingly no rules, there are no leaders, and the exorbitant amount of money being distributed is entirely unsustainable.
The Protect College Sports Act, recently passed in the Senate, could — emphasis on the word could — establish some form of ground rules when it comes to name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, athlete compensation, eligibility, and the transfer portal, which has turned into the Wild Wild West.
While everyone can agree that a uniform framework across collegiate sports is long overdue, what that framework entails for athlete compensation is where government officials, athletic directors, coaches, and athletes themselves will never agree.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari waves his hands after a foul call during a semifinal game of the SEC Tournament between the Mississippi Rebels and Arkansas Razorbacks, March 14, 2026 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari certainly understands that, but it didn’t stop him from sharing that the majority of the players on his roster make more money than the assistant coaches on his staff.
“I’m gonna say this; I probably shouldn’t. Nine of my players make more than my assistants,” Calipari shared on Wednesday after agreeing guardrails need to be put in place. “The other three make more than all my staff, and we are not one of the highest payers.”
“All the coaches on this campus in every sport make less than the rev share, which is $22 million, and it’s much less. So the players are getting more than the coaches; I just don’t understand who could be against it,” he continued, while referring to reform across collegiate sports.
Calipari, who earns approximately $8 million per season, is by no means sharing an Earth-shattering discovery here about players earning more than staffers. However, specifically knowing exactly nine of his players earn more than his assistants and then sharing that exact number unprompted with reporters can only be perceived one way, and it’s not positively.
Head coach John Calipari of the Arkansas Razorbacks reacts during the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels in the semifinal game of the 2026 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 14, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
In Calipari’s defense, he can not stand in front of the media and say, ‘college athletes should be making less money than they are’ despite the majority of the public agreeing that NIL deals have gotten way too hefty.
Calipari still has a program to run in this broken landscape presented in front of him. However, tossing out an idea that coaches should be compensated at a similar level as the players is about as disingenuous as it gets.
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Even if Calipari unintentionally delivered that notion, it’s one that can still be criticized.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari on the sideline during a quarterfinal round game of the SEC Tournament between the Arkansas Razorbacks and Oklahoma Sooners, March 13, 2026 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The fans, who are beginning to be priced out around the country, pay to come watch the athletes, not the coaches. Arkansas fans did not spend money last season to watch Calipari on the sideline; they paid to watch Darius Acuff Jr.
People did not fill Gillette Stadium years ago to watch Bill Belichick call plays; they paid to watch Tom Brady throw a football, and not one NFL fan took issue with the fact that Brady earned more money than his head coach did in New England.
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As for what a fix should or even could look like in college sports, it could very well cease to exist, given just how long ago we passed the point of no return. While that may be a wildly general and incredibly negative outlook, that doesn’t make it any less true.
Thankfully, the U.S. government is involved, as it’s known for making the correct decisions on matters such as this that everyone can unanimously get behind.
