BOISE - Eight seasons into his tenure at Boise State, head coach Leon Rice keeps earning his contract, and then some.
Following their 18th victory of the season last Saturday, a clause in Rice’s contract automatically kicked in, extending the length of his deal with Boise State an additional year. According to his contract, every time the Broncos win 18 games or more in a season, the university adds another year to the end of his five-year deal.
It means that following this season, Rice will make at least $3.75 million over the next five years coaching the Broncos. Rice is scheduled to make a base salary of $675,000 this season.
Future Base Pay
2018-19: $700,000
2019-20: $725,000
2020-21: $750,000
2021-22: $775,000
2022-23: $800,000
Boise State is off to their best 22-game start since the 1988-89 season. The Broncos are currently 18-4 overall and 8-2 in the Mountain West.
On top of that, Boise State has won 12 straight games at home, the 20th longest active streak in the NCAA and second longest in the Mountain West. Attendance is also up, something that can be attributed to Rice’s enthusiasm, in addition to winning. The Broncos have averaged 5,898 fans at each home game this year, which is almost a 10 percent bump from last year.
Average Home Attendance
2010-11: 4,594
2011-12: 4,367
2012-13: 6,394
2013-14: 6,810
2014-15: 5,774
2015-16: 6,271
2016-17: 5,397
2017-18: 5,898
Considering the Broncos still have four games left, with the next two against perennial-powers UNLV and Nevada, that number will likely continue to rise. With Boise State nearing a sellout against the Runnin’ Rebels on Saturday, home attendance could rise to approximately 6,300 fans per game, which would be the third highest of the Leon Rice era.
Although interest is on the rise, Rice does not have an attendance-related clause in his contract. He does have other athletic and academic achievement bonuses though, which could add up in excess of $48,000. That does not include an additional rate of $5,000 that would come with each potential NCAA Tournament victory or other escalators that involve scheduling.
$5,000 for winning Mountain West Regular Season Title
- Boise State is currently one-game back of Nevada for first-place in the standing. The Broncos still get to host the Wolf Pack on Feb. 14. The conference, by the way, does acknowledge co-championships if two teams are tied at the end of the regular season.
$15,000 for winning the Mountain West Conference Tournament
- If the Broncos just make it to the title game, then Rice will received at least a $3,000 bonus for being a finalist. If they win though, it will mean the difference of about $12,000 for Rice.
$3,000-5,000 for postseason appearances
- If Boise State makes the NCAA Tournament, then Rice will receive an extra $5,000 for each win they get in March. At the moment, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lundari has the Broncos in the Field of 68. If the Broncos earn an at-large bid, that would mean at additional $5,000 for an NCAA Tournament berth.
- If the Broncos go to the NIT, Rice would still earn a bonus of $3,000 per game.
The More (Wins) The Better
- If the Broncos finish the season with more wins than losses – something they’re guaranteed to do this season – then Rice will earn a $4,000 bonus.
- Should Boise State win 20+ games in a season, that bonus would increase to $8,000.
Winning In the Classroom
- If the Broncos maintain a quality Academic Progress Rate (APR), then potential bonuses range from $5,000 all the way up to $20,000.
Coach Rice and the Broncos will be back in action this Saturday – seeking their 19th win – when they host UNLV at Taco Bell Arena. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.
