After a successful stint at Cincinnati that included leading the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff, Luke Fickell was one of the hottest properties in the most recent head coach hiring cycle. Understandably, Fickell’s salary at Wisconsin makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the Big Ten, but how much is that salary, and what are his contract details and net worth?
Luke Fickell’s Salary and Contract in 2023
Examining Fickell’s salary and contract with the Badgers is an exercise in ascertaining the price of success. The former Ohio State nose tackle and wrestling champion — not to mention interim head coach in 2011 — presided over an unprecedented period of success for Cincinnati that peaked with their appearance in the College Football Playoff in the 2021 season.
During his time at the helm of the Bearcats, Fickell led the team to five consecutive seasons over .750, including three double-digit win campaigns. Prior to his arrival, the program had registered five seasons over .750 in a period stretching back to 1964.
As a result of this success, Fickell was rewarded with a contract extension by Cincinnati in February 2022. Inking a deal that tied him to the program through 2028, his $5 million per year deal made him one of the highest-paid Group of Five coaches. However, a more lucrative opportunity was just around the corner. A return to the Big Ten beckoned.
“My family and I are thrilled to join the Wisconsin family,” Fickell said in a statement released by the university. “This is a destination job at a program that I have admired from afar for years…This world-class university, athletic department, and passionately loyal fan base all have a strong commitment to success, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Fickell signed a contract with Wisconsin that ties him to the program through the 2029 college football season. Putting pen to paper at the end of November 2022, the deal expires on March 31, 2030, essentially making it just over a seven-year deal. Ironically, that’s how long his predecessor Paul Chryst held the position before his departure during the 2022 campaign.
Fickell’s salary at Wisconsin ensures he receives a nice little boost to the extension he signed with Cincinnati in February 2022.
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In his first full year in Madison, Fickell’s salary will be $7.5 million. He’ll command a base salary of $3 million that is paid directly from the university. Meanwhile, he receives the remaining $4.5 million from the UW Foundation.
According to their website, “The University of Wisconsin Foundation raises, invests, and distributes funds for the benefit of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.” It’s fair to say that there’s a general consensus that Fickell’s hire certainly benefits the Badgers.
That $7.5 million for Fickell’s salary isn’t the end of the story, however. For each of the remaining years of his contract, the new Wisconsin head coach will receive an additional $100,000 from the UW Foundation.
That means that in the final year — presuming there isn’t a further extension to his original deal — Fickell’s salary will be $8.1 million. It works out to an average of $7.8 million over the course of the contract, over $2.5 million more than the departed Chryst.
Contracts rarely mean “tied to” anymore, and Fickell’s is no different. The wording of the deal means that 80% of his salary is guaranteed. If Wisconsin wishes to fire him without cause, they have to pay 80% of his remaining contract value until he finds a job with an equivalent salary. If he was to take a job with a lower salary, Wisconsin has to make up the shortfall.
Sounds like a great deal for Fickell, right? Technically, yes. However, if the Badgers’ head coach wants to leave on his own terms before March 31, 2027, he’ll owe the program $8 million. After that date, the figure reduces to $5 million.
Fickell’s Net Worth
Based on an average of $7.8 million per year, for seven years, Fickell’s net worth for the duration of his current Wisconsin contract is $54.6 million. But that doesn’t take into account money accrued during his time with Cincinnati. Nor does it factor in additional potential bonuses written into his deal.
Achieving all of the bonus triggers in his contract would net Fickell an additional $1.45 million on top of his total salary from Wisconsin. What does that success look like for the Badgers?
Well, winning the Big Ten Championship Game would net Fickell an additional $350,000. If that triumph ensures qualification for the expanded College Football Playoff that begins in 2024, he takes home an additional $200,000.
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Parlaying an appearance in the earlier rounds into a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance secures Fickell a further $400,000. Winning a first national title for the Badgers since the Helms Athletic Foundation awarded 1942 success would net him $500,000 — and likely the keys to Madison.
Like most head coach contracts in the modern college football world, Fickell receives a number of non-salary benefits as part of his contract with the Badgers. They include two automobile allowances with a cap of $10,800 per year, a country club membership, the use of a suite at Camp Randall, and $125,000 towards travel and entertainment.
