South Carolina board approves contract extension for Ray Tanner
South Carolina’s board of trustees approved a contract extension Friday for athletics director Ray Tanner, increasing his annual compensation but restructuring his buyout for the period of the extension.
The board approved a two-year extension for Tanner, which will now run through June 30, 2026 and give him a slight raise over the course of the contract.
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“Ray Tanner continues to set a high standard and has made Gamecock athletics an essential part of our community and our state,” president Michael Amiridis said in a statement. “Ray’s record of building up our student-athletes while improving the fan experience is second to none. I’m grateful to the Board for approving this extension and look forward to continued success under his leadership.”
Tanner will now make $1,175,000 annually as the Gamecocks’ athletics director, up from his annual salary of $1,021,584 before the extension.
Where things are interesting is the buyout, which would not exist beginning July 1, 2024.
Currently, if South Carolina terminated Tanner’s contract prior to June 30, 2024 it would owe him $500,000 per year pro-rated through June 30, 2024.
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Under the newly approved contract, that provision is still in place but South Carolina would not have to pay a buyout if the contract was terminated any time between July 1, 2024 and the remainder of the contract.
“I’m excited to hear that Coach Tanner will continue as our Athletics Director. Our relationship and my respect for Coach Tanner has grown so much since I returned to Columbia in 2020,” said Shane Beamer in a statement. “I’m excited about the progress we’ve made as a football program. I’m even more excited to continue to elevate our program under Coach Tanner’s leadership.”
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If Tanner terminated the deal and accepts a coaching or administrative position–paid or unpaid–at another college or university prior to June 30, 2024 he would owe South Carolina $500,000 annually (pro-rated) through June 30, 2024.
Beginning July 1, 2024 Tanner would be able to terminate the contract and would not be obligated to pay a buyout.
Tanner took over as South Carolina’s athletics director after the 2012 college baseball season and has been in charge of the Gamecocks athletic department since then.
Before that, he was the Gamecocks baseball coach where he guided the program to multiple College World Series appearances and two national championships in 2010 and 2011.
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“I applaud the action taken today by President Amiridis and the Board of Trustees to extend Coach Tanner’s contract,” Dawn Staley’s statement reads. “No one cares more about our university and the success of our student-athletes than Coach Tanner. You can see the real momentum building throughout the athletics department, thanks to his leadership.”
