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The business of a national title: Inside the numbers

BillSelfSmile

Forbes took a look at the business behind Monday night’s national title game, who is profiting and how.

Let’s break down the players, coaches, and schools involved in tonight’s national title game

Bill Self, Kansas head coach

Self has a base salary of $3 million, but scored another $100,000 when his Jayhawks reached the Final Four and stands to make another $200,000 if Kansas beats Kentucky and wins the national title. On top of all that, an AP Coach of the Year award would give him another $50,000.

John Calipari, Kentucky head coach

The third-year Kentucky coach has $325,000 worth of bonuses already in pocket, and can more than double that with a win on Monday night, which would net him another $375,000. Forbes also mentions the possibility of increased sponsorship, if Calipari wins.

The Players

This is debatable. Forbes goes as far as to say that players who enter the NBA draft after this season, namely Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson, and Terrence Jones, would be boosting their stock and, thus, their value in the upcoming draft.

In reality, the players aren’t tangibly profiting, and certainly not in the same way that their coaches are. That is how the NCAA business model functions, with its emphasis on amateurism.

The Schools

As the piece points out, schools do not profit directly, but are earning money indirectly from free advertisement of their brand, an increase in ticket prices, and the possibility of increased enrollment in the coming season.

For the full breakdown, check out the Forbes piece here.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_