Clemson Tigers Football 2017: Dabo Swinney paid fair rate in unfair market

Clemson University paid Dabo Swinney what the market dictated.

Evidently, college football needs more of a market democracy. There are large checks, but there is no balance.

On Friday morning, the Clemson Board of Trustees compensation committee approved an eight-year contract for Swinney worth an average of $6.75 million per year, including $6 million this season. The compensation package also includes a $1.5 million signing bonus.

According to figures compiled by USA Today Sports, Swinney will earn the third-highest salary this season, behind Alabama’s Nick Saban ($8.1 million) and Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh ($7.6 million).

It is a reward for the College Football Playoff national championship trophy Swinney hoisted in January. It is a 634.5-percent increase from the $816,850 salary Swinney earned in 2009, his first full season as head coach.

It is an assurance of Clemson’s long-term commitment to its most valuable ambassador. It is a declaration that Clemson is equipped to compete consistently with national powers on the field and at the bank.  

It is another revelation that every stadium is a marketplace. Some leave with full bags. Others leave with empty hands.

We relish the pageantry and passion of college football. We marvel at the competition. We delight in the drama. We eagerly spend money to capture those moments. We spend more money to preserve them.

We purchase tickets and television subscriptions. Jerseys and tailgate stickers. Vanity plates and commemorative soda cans.

We fuel this raging revenue race. We tilt an already imbalanced system.

Swinney’s agreement with Clemson includes provisions for additional compensation, television shows, radio appearances, apparel and vehicles.

His players’ scholarships never expand. They are not permitted to endorse a product, accept a donation or charge for autographs. There certainly is immense value in a full scholarship. However, that compensation package is no longer commensurate with the amount of revenue players generate.

Swinney’s agreement includes an extensive buyout clause. If Clemson dismisses Swinney, it must pay him at least $5 million for each year remaining on his contract.

The scholarship package offers no assurances. A player’s job security is at the discretion of his coach and comes with no consolation gift.

Swinney is not the culprit. He did not write the rules. He is simply capitalizing on the game.

Additionally, Swinney has utilized his resources and influence commendably to enhance player provisions outside of monetary parameters. Beyond the extravagant amenities of the immaculate Reeves football complex, including laser tag and a nap room, Swinney’s PAW Journey program facilitates player development off the field.

Through personal growth initiatives, community service and professional guidance, players are encouraged to earn a true education, not simply a degree. The program ensures that, regardless of how imbalanced the bargain may be, Clemson is holding up its end of it.

That project should not be as novel as it is. If an education must remain central to the compensation package, then the adults in this business must conserve the value of that education.

Forget the 10-win seasons and national awards; that contribution makes Swinney invaluable to Clemson. It also makes him instrumental to any possible progress toward evening the paying field between coaches and players.

That still does not justify a $7.5 million payday, but no one is asking coaches to return their money. Just reach into those overflowing revenue streams and scoop a larger share for the workforce.