Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Fisher bids adieu to $1.2 million annual compensation

SDSU basketball coach dictated school’s head coach-in-waiting

Steve Fisher. "Investigators found that Fisher made out 16 of the passes, and that his secretary or other clerical workers made out 10."
Steve Fisher. "Investigators found that Fisher made out 16 of the passes, and that his secretary or other clerical workers made out 10."

Given last month's abrupt demise of Balboa Park's Hall of Champions, retiring San Diego State University head basketball coach Steve Fisher will have to settle for the virtual Valhalla of the heart that the city's well-moneyed sports establishment reserves for its triumphal heroes, though he gets to keep their money.

Fisher, now 72, arrived in town 18 seasons ago, two years after his ouster by the University of Michigan amid a scandal involving freebies provided to well-heeled boosters.

"The announcement came two days after a Kansas law firm hired by the university to investigate the Wolverines basketball program issued a report that called into question Fisher's role in arranging complimentary tickets for booster Eddie Martin," reported the Associated Press in an October 11, 1997 story.

Sponsored
Sponsored

"Fisher told investigators with the Bond, Schoeneck & King law firm he was responsible for only a few of the 32 complimentary tickets Martin received during a three-year period," said the account.

"But investigators found that Fisher made out 16 of the passes, and that his secretary or other clerical workers made out 10."

Word around San Diego was that Fisher, hired here in 1999, was obtained on the relative cheap by SDSU, but his financial status changed as he revamped the school's basketball program, in the process making friends with wealthy university donors who have increasingly supplemented his state salary.

As of 2015, Fisher's total state pay and benefits totaled $386,167, per the website Transparent California.

Additionally, university donors kicked in so-called supplemental compensation of $767,832, per SDSU records, raising Fisher’s yearly grand total to $1,153,999.

The coach's pay is governed by a September 2006, employment agreement, along with subsequent extensions, the latest of which was set to expire next year.

The original deal called for Fisher to get a state-funded salary of $208,620 through June 2007, with a yearly "merit increase of 5% of base pay or top of the Administrator IV salary range, whichever is lower," plus benefits, including pension.

The coach's donor-supplied supplemental salary through June 2007 was set at $225,000, rising $25,000 each year through June 2010 to $300,000.

Under a rollover clause in the 2006 agreement, Fisher was to have been paid yearly supplemental compensation of $325,000 through June 2012, and $350,000 through June 2013, according to documents obtained in February 2016 by the Muckrock website.

But an August 8, 2011, renegotiation boosted the coach’s state salary to $258,168 and increased 2012's supplemental payout to $541,832, making his total compensation that year $800,000.

Fisher’s supplemental compensation for each of the years 2015 through 2018 was increased to $767,832 by a November 12, 2014 addendum.

In addition, "University shall provide Coach a total of two (2) courtesy automobiles and/or automobile stipends in accordance with the Department of Athletics' established policies," per the September 2006 contract.

"Gasoline costs for business mileage are reimbursed subject to the Department of Athletics' established policies. Repairs within the insurance deductible amount are Coach's responsibility unless the accident occurred while on University business and University accident reports have been filed."

In another form of compensation, "In order to advance the public relations interest of University and enhance recruiting, University shall make available to Coach for basketball camps the use of University gyms and related facilities," the contract says.

"Coach shall receive a stipend of $25,000 per year for camps.”

Other consideration included "$25,000 per year for shoe/apparel (i.e., Nike) compensation," and agreement by the university to announce in 2011 "that Associate Head Coach Brian Dutcher will be named the 'Head-Coach-in-Waiting.'"

Dutcher is a long-time Fisher associate dating back to their days together in Michigan.

Under the terms of his 2014 deal, Fisher was also eligible for $10,000 bonuses, including those for being named Mountain West Coach of the Year and "winning 20 or more games in a season."

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

The Art Of Dr. Seuss, Boarded: A New Pirate Adventure, Wild Horses Festival

Events December 26-December 30, 2024
Steve Fisher. "Investigators found that Fisher made out 16 of the passes, and that his secretary or other clerical workers made out 10."
Steve Fisher. "Investigators found that Fisher made out 16 of the passes, and that his secretary or other clerical workers made out 10."

Given last month's abrupt demise of Balboa Park's Hall of Champions, retiring San Diego State University head basketball coach Steve Fisher will have to settle for the virtual Valhalla of the heart that the city's well-moneyed sports establishment reserves for its triumphal heroes, though he gets to keep their money.

Fisher, now 72, arrived in town 18 seasons ago, two years after his ouster by the University of Michigan amid a scandal involving freebies provided to well-heeled boosters.

"The announcement came two days after a Kansas law firm hired by the university to investigate the Wolverines basketball program issued a report that called into question Fisher's role in arranging complimentary tickets for booster Eddie Martin," reported the Associated Press in an October 11, 1997 story.

Sponsored
Sponsored

"Fisher told investigators with the Bond, Schoeneck & King law firm he was responsible for only a few of the 32 complimentary tickets Martin received during a three-year period," said the account.

"But investigators found that Fisher made out 16 of the passes, and that his secretary or other clerical workers made out 10."

Word around San Diego was that Fisher, hired here in 1999, was obtained on the relative cheap by SDSU, but his financial status changed as he revamped the school's basketball program, in the process making friends with wealthy university donors who have increasingly supplemented his state salary.

As of 2015, Fisher's total state pay and benefits totaled $386,167, per the website Transparent California.

Additionally, university donors kicked in so-called supplemental compensation of $767,832, per SDSU records, raising Fisher’s yearly grand total to $1,153,999.

The coach's pay is governed by a September 2006, employment agreement, along with subsequent extensions, the latest of which was set to expire next year.

The original deal called for Fisher to get a state-funded salary of $208,620 through June 2007, with a yearly "merit increase of 5% of base pay or top of the Administrator IV salary range, whichever is lower," plus benefits, including pension.

The coach's donor-supplied supplemental salary through June 2007 was set at $225,000, rising $25,000 each year through June 2010 to $300,000.

Under a rollover clause in the 2006 agreement, Fisher was to have been paid yearly supplemental compensation of $325,000 through June 2012, and $350,000 through June 2013, according to documents obtained in February 2016 by the Muckrock website.

But an August 8, 2011, renegotiation boosted the coach’s state salary to $258,168 and increased 2012's supplemental payout to $541,832, making his total compensation that year $800,000.

Fisher’s supplemental compensation for each of the years 2015 through 2018 was increased to $767,832 by a November 12, 2014 addendum.

In addition, "University shall provide Coach a total of two (2) courtesy automobiles and/or automobile stipends in accordance with the Department of Athletics' established policies," per the September 2006 contract.

"Gasoline costs for business mileage are reimbursed subject to the Department of Athletics' established policies. Repairs within the insurance deductible amount are Coach's responsibility unless the accident occurred while on University business and University accident reports have been filed."

In another form of compensation, "In order to advance the public relations interest of University and enhance recruiting, University shall make available to Coach for basketball camps the use of University gyms and related facilities," the contract says.

"Coach shall receive a stipend of $25,000 per year for camps.”

Other consideration included "$25,000 per year for shoe/apparel (i.e., Nike) compensation," and agreement by the university to announce in 2011 "that Associate Head Coach Brian Dutcher will be named the 'Head-Coach-in-Waiting.'"

Dutcher is a long-time Fisher associate dating back to their days together in Michigan.

Under the terms of his 2014 deal, Fisher was also eligible for $10,000 bonuses, including those for being named Mountain West Coach of the Year and "winning 20 or more games in a season."

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

At Comedor Nishi a world of cuisines meet for brunch

A Mexican eatery with Japanese and French influences
Next Article

East San Diego County has only one bike lane

So you can get out of town – from Santee to Tierrasanta
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader