Brown Basketball Got Paid Big Bucks to Get Hammered by Kansas and Kentucky

Brown Basketball Got Paid Big Bucks to Get Hammered by Kansas and Kentucky

Coming into the holidays, Brown University men’s basketball was on a roll. They had beaten previously undefeated University of Rhode Island in double overtime, and the Bears were on a six-game winning streak.

Then, Brown headed to play two national powerhouses for the holidays.

Brown was paid two so-called "guarantee games." Games in which lower-ranked D-I basketball teams get paid tens of thousands of dollars to serve as de facto sparring partners for power teams.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

 

Beating at Allen Fieldhouse

First, Brown headed to play the University of Kansas — ranked #8 at the time.

The Bears lost 87-53 just before Christmas on December 22.

But while the Bears got battered on the court, the athletic department scored up to a $100,000 guarantee payment from the University of Kansas.

According to the contract between Kansas and Brown secured by GoLocal:

“Financial consideration to the Visiting Team for participating in the Event is $100,000 ("Guarantee"). If Allen Fieldhouse seating capacity is regulated to allow lesser than what is considered normal, the Guarantee shall also be reduced proportionality. For example, if the Guarantee to the Visiting Team is $50,000 (based on 100% allowed seating capacity) and allowed seating capacity is reduced to 50%, the Guarantee shall also be reduced 50%, to $25,000.”

Brown's agreement with Kansas was executed in May of 2024.

The reported attendance by Kansas was 15,300 — the full capacity is 16,300.

Brown also was “provided 40 complimentary tickets behind the bench and the right to purchase 200 additional best available tickets," according to the agreement.

But, while Brown received the cash and some tickets, Kansas owned the broadcast rights which included a national broadcast on ESPN. '

According to the contract, “Kansas shall own and control all radio, digital and television rights and fees. The Visiting Team shall be provided one (I) rights-free radio outlet for its live broadcast of the team's officially designated station/affiliate radio network and retains any revenue from such broadcast.”

 

Hammered at Rupp Arena

On New Year’s Eve day, Brown took on the #10 ranked University of Kentucky at Rupp Arena. The game was another payday for the Bears, but they were hammered by 34 points in each game.

Final score: Kentucky 88, Brown 54

While the season’s momentum was lost with the second consecutive loss, the Brown bank account is far fatter.

The contract between the two schools provided that Kentucky pay Brown $95,000. Brown also received 50 total complimentary tickets. An additional 50 tickets are available for purchase.

Just like Kansas, Kentucky received the windfall from broadcast rights, which included another ESPN national audience.

The Kentucky-Brown contract states:

“The television rights and income therefrom shall be under the control of the HOME TEAM (or its conference). The rights of each team are as follows: each party may arrange for closed-circuit television presentations of the game on the respective campuses and for alumni groups around the country and retain the revenue derived therefrom; each party shall have the right to produce film and/or videotape of the game and to authorize their use for coaches shows and delay telecasts, under restrictions for the conference and national governing bodies; the HOME TEAM agrees to provide reasonable press facilities for the origination of the programs described therein; All programs produced as a result of this contract shall be governed by intercollegiate conference rules. To the extent that permission and/or approval of either or both schools is required by said rules or regulations for the origination and presentation of programs provided for herein, both schools do hereby agree that such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld."

The Kentucky contract was signed in June of 2024.

 

Good Deal?

GoLocal reached out to Brown University Athletic, M. Grace Calhoun, about the decision to play two uncompetitive games in the middle of the season. She did not respond to questions. Calhoun is the highest-paid athletic director in Rhode Island.

According to the most recent Brown tax filing, Calhoun is paid $1,064,933.

Calhoun's $1 million plus package was more than $400,000 more than then-Providence College AD Robert Driscoll's comp. And, her comp is nearly $700,000 higher than the AD at the University of Rhode Island, Thorr Bjorn.

Mike Martin, the Brown men's basketball coach, told GoLocal that there is value in playing "guarantee" games against top programs.

"Yes, I believe games on national TV against blue blood programs like these two (and games in the past at Duke, University of North Carolina, and Michigan State) have helped us build our program," said Martin. 

 

The final score:  Brown Basketball two 34-point loses

                            Brown Athletics $195,000 in payments