Bruce Pearl's $15 million contract filled with show-cause guidelines, bonuses

Bruce Pearl, Jay Jacobs

Bruce Pearl, left, is introduced as Auburn's new basketball coach by athletic director Jay Jacobs during a press conference Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at the Auburn Arena in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

(JULIE BENNETT)

AUBURN, Alabama -- Bruce Pearl's six-year contract at Auburn is heavy on bonuses and threatening language if he violates the terms of the NCAA's show-cause penalty.

The contract, signed May 12 by Pearl, was obtained Friday by AL.com through an open-records request.

Pearl will earn $2.175 million in his first year, with the total rising $100,000 each year. Pearl also received a $500,000 signing bonus, upping the value of the contract to more than $15 million over the next six years.

The contract also includes the potential of 20 additional bonuses totaling $1.225 million, including three academics-based bonuses, in each year.

The 35-page contract is also filled with guidelines and language related to Pearl's NCAA show-cause penalty, which ends the morning of Aug. 24.

The university can either fire or suspend Pearl with an adjusted yearly salary of $1.2 million if it finds he has violated his show-cause order, which bars him from speaking to recruits. The school could also fire him if it believes he has violated the show-cause penalty, or if the school or NCAA finds he or his assistants are involved in significant or repetitive violations -- no matter the level of violation -- during the show-cause penalty.

Pearl will also be required to pay back his $500,000 signing bonus if he violates the show-cause penalty.

Auburn was careful to note all assistant coaches must receive "favorable clearance" from the NCAA and SEC before they are hired. Auburn president Jay Gogue must also approve the hiring of any family members to the staff. Steven Pearl, Bruce's son, joined the staff as a strength coach in March.

Pearl, who previously coached at Tennessee and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, could also face suspension if the NCAA believes he committed significant or repetitive violations during his previous employment at those schools.

If Auburn fires Pearl without cause, the school will owe him 50 percent of his salary for the remainder of the contract.

Pearl's buyout should he choose to leave Auburn is substantial, starting at $5 million if he leaves before April 15, 2016. The amount decreases by $1 million in each ensuing year, and drops to $250,000 on April 15, 2020.

Pearl's on-the-court incentives could be within reach during his first two seasons. The school will pay Pearl $25,000 if he wins nine SEC games -- a .500 record -- in 2015 or 2016, and an additional $25,000 if he reaches 20 wins in the either of his first two seasons.

Bonuses in Pearl's contract

  • Top 3 SEC finish**: $50,000
  • SEC regular season championship: $100,000
  • SEC tournament championship: $50,000
  • SEC coach of the year: $50,000
  • National coach of the year: $50,000
  • 20 wins**: $25,000
  • 9 SEC regular season wins**: $25,000
  • 22 wins: $25,000
  • 25 wins: $25,000
  • NIT championship: $25,000
  • NCAA tournament appearance: $50,000
  • NCAA tournament Sweet 16: $50,000
  • NCAA tournament Elite Eight: $100,000
  • NCAA tournament Final Four: $100,000
  • NCAA national championship appearance: $100,000
  • NCAA national championship: $200,000
  • Academic Progress Rate over 925: $25,000
  • APR over 950: $50,000
  • APR of 1,000: $75,000
  • At least half of home games sold out: $50,000

** During 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

Notes: On-the-court bonuses are cumulative and do not cancel each other out.

Pearl's ticket allotment

  • 20 tickets (10 scholarship, 10 general admission) to home basketball games
  • 14 tickets for SEC tournament
  • 10 tickets to NCAA tournament
  • Eight tickets and two parking passes for each home football game
  • Four tickets to each Auburn bowl game

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