Last summer, the sports world buzzed with speculation as Dan Hurley faced a major decision: remain the University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach or accept a lucrative offer to coach the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. Among those with an opinion was Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, who made it clear how valuable Hurley was to the state.
“He’s the very best in the business,” Lamont declared, promising that if Hurley stayed, “We’ll make sure that he’s the top-paid college coach.”
hough Hurley, 52, insists his choice wasn’t about the money, his decision to stay at UConn came with a significant reward. In July 2024, he signed a six-year, $50 million contract. This new agreement puts him among the highest-paid college basketball coaches, with a 2024 salary of $7.78 million, ranking third nationally behind Kansas’ Bill Self and Arkansas’ John Calipari.
Hurley’s latest deal reflects UConn’s commitment to sustaining its men’s basketball dominance. Under his leadership, the Huskies have claimed back-to-back national championships and secured their place as a college basketball powerhouse. UConn, the third seed in the 2024 Big East Tournament, will face Villanova next.
However, the Dan Hurley UConn contract represents a substantial financial risk for a university with a fragile fiscal foundation. Unlike Power Four conferences, UConn lacks the security of a major television deal, making its athletic department heavily dependent on university subsidies. This new agreement, which is fully guaranteed, increases Hurley’s compensation by approximately $18 million over his previous extension.
“This contract is recognition for the immense effort that produced two national titles,” said UConn Athletic Director David Benedict. “It’s also a commitment to maintaining a program that competes for conference and national championships.”
The financial strain is amplified by the university’s broader budget challenges. Academic departments face funding cuts, and UConn projects an $84 million deficit by 2026. In 2023, Hurley earned more than the combined salaries of women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, football coach Jim Mora Jr., and university president Radenka Maric, according to state payroll records.
To ease concerns about using academic funds for athletics, UConn claims Hurley’s contract will be entirely funded through private contributions to the athletics department’s “Dynasty Fund.” While spokesperson Bill Peterson did not disclose specific figures, the department is leaning on donor support to sustain the deal.
Hurley’s success has translated into higher revenues for UConn’s athletic program. The department reported nearly $105 million in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year, with 9% of that spent on men’s basketball salaries. Hurley’s share alone accounted for 6.24% of the total revenue, highlighting the university’s financial prioritization of basketball over other sports.
The Huskies are unique among public universities in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for spending more on men’s basketball than football. Of the 104 public FBS schools that released financial reports, UConn ranked 49th in operating revenue but fourth in men’s basketball expenses. This distinctive approach underscores their commitment to basketball as the primary driver of their athletic identity.
While some see the Dan Hurley UConn contract as a necessary investment in continued athletic excellence, others view it as a gamble. Karen Weaver, a sports administration expert at the University of Pennsylvania, describes the move as a “calculated risk” given the changing financial landscape of college sports.
With the impending implementation of athlete revenue-sharing, non-Power Four schools like UConn must find creative ways to stay competitive. Texas Tech’s announced revenue-sharing plan allocates 74% of payments to football players and only 17% to men’s basketball. UConn, lacking a major football program, is positioning basketball as its marquee attraction and revenue generator.
Benedict has acknowledged that UConn cannot afford to pay the full revenue-sharing cap of $20.5 million annually. Still, he expressed confidence in maintaining competitiveness across sports. “We’ll find a way,” he said, reinforcing UConn’s commitment to athletic excellence despite financial constraints.
UConn’s athletic department has long operated at a deficit, with university subsidies accounting for 40% of its 2024 budget. This reliance on institutional support has raised concerns about sustainability. In 2017, the UConn Senate’s budgetary committee labeled the situation “unsustainable,” urging the athletics department to implement cost-cutting measures.
Further complicating matters is the fallout from previous coaching changes. UConn’s 2018 dismissal of Hurley’s predecessor, Kevin Ollie, resulted in an $11.1 million arbitration settlement for wrongful termination, followed by an additional $3.9 million to resolve discrimination claims.
Despite these challenges, there are signs of financial recovery. The Big East’s new television deal, set to begin in the 2025-26 season, is valued at $80 million annually, nearly doubling the previous agreement. Increased ticket sales and donations linked to the men’s basketball program also signal positive momentum.
While the athletics department focuses on growth, the broader university faces budget cuts across all departments. UConn’s administration has committed to reducing athletic subsidies by 15% over five years, amounting to a $4.54 million cut by 2029.
Faculty members, like Christopher Vials of UConn’s American Association of University Professors chapter, remain skeptical about whether athletic success translates to academic benefits. “If there has been a financial boon from the recent NCAA victories, we haven’t felt anything from that on the academic side,” he said.
Connecticut House Majority Leader Jason Rojas echoes these concerns, questioning how to balance athletic investments with essential academic services. “How do you balance compensating an athletics coach with the need to provide mental health services to students or pay faculty appropriately?” he asked. “It’s a difficult trade-off.”
UConn’s leadership remains optimistic that the Dan Hurley UConn contract will continue to pay dividends. Governor Lamont, a vocal supporter, believes the investment will be self-sustaining. “In business, you pay for performance because performance pays for itself,” he said.
Yet, the risks are undeniable. If the men’s basketball program falters, UConn would face significant financial liabilities. Hurley’s fully guaranteed contract means that firing him without cause would require paying out the remaining balance. As of April 2025, that figure stands at approximately $43 million—the largest buyout in college basketball by a $10 million margin.
Despite the financial stakes, Hurley remains a beloved figure in Connecticut. The state recently unveiled highway signs proclaiming itself “The Basketball Capital of the World,” a nod to the Huskies’ recent dominance. As long as UConn continues to thrive on the court, Hurley’s presence will symbolize excellence and pride for the university and the state.
The Dan Hurley UConn contract is more than just a coaching deal; it’s a defining statement about UConn’s ambitions and priorities. Whether this bold investment yields sustained success or leads to financial reckoning remains to be seen, but for now, the Huskies are betting big on their coach and their future.
