Cuonzo Martin contract details at Missouri State: Salary, buyout, incentives
Cuonzo Martin is back as the Missouri State men's basketball coach after agreeing to a five-year deal with a salary that begins at $600,000.
Martin's contract, which was posted to Missouri State's athletics contracts database, will run through March 2029. Over five years, the deal would pay over $2.5 million.
Dana Ford, who Missouri State fired after six seasons on March 10, received $478,698 this past season. His contract initially paid him $425,000 for the latter years of his deal but he received increases thanks to university-wide raises.
More: Cuonzo Martin officially returning as Missouri State men's basketball coach
What is Cuonzo Martin's salary with Missouri State basketball?
Martin will be paid $600,000 in 2024-25 before a pay increase to $625,000 in his second year. For years three through five, he will be paid $650,000 annually. He will be entitled to university-wide raises.
2024-25 — $600,000
2025-26 — $625,000
2026-27 — $650,000
2027-28 — $650,000
2028-29 — $650,000
According to available head coaching pay data across the Missouri Valley Conference, Martin will be paid the fourth-most in the league, behind Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson, Belmont's Casey Alexander and Bradley's Brian Wardle.
What are Cuonzo Martin's incentives?
Academic Progress Rate meeting or exceeding 930 — $2,500
Annual Team GPA equal or greater than 3.5 — $7,500
Annual Team GPA between 3.25 and 3.5 — $5,000
Annual Team GPA between 3 and 3.25 — $2,500
MVC (or other future conference affiliation) regular-season champion or co-champion — $100,000
Second-place finish in MVC — $5,000
MVC tournament championship — $50,000
At-large bid to NCAA Tournament — $75,000
Each win in NCAA Tournament — $20,000
NIT invitation — $10,000
Each win in NIT — $5,000
MVC Coach of the Year — $10,000
Reputable National Coach of the Year honor — $25,000
Each win against a top 25 team — $5,000
If MSU ranks top 25 in the NET at any point — $7,500
Final Top 25 NET ranking — $20,000
Win over ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, SEC opponent — $1,500
Podcast: Art Hains, Wyatt Wheeler react to Cuonzo Martin's reported return to Missouri State
Cuonzo Martin's contract includes big changes in attendance incentives
A notable in Martin's contract is an overhaul in how Missouri State will incentivize attendance for its men's basketball coach. The men's basketball program is coming off its second-least attended season in its history.
Ford's contract would have paid him $10,000 if the school reached an average attendance of 8,000 fans. It would have paid him $20,000 if it averaged 9,000 fans and $30,000 if it averaged 10,000 fans at the end of the season.
Martin's incentives start much lower when the program hasn't averaged more than 8,000 fans since the 1991-92 season.
Martin would be entitled to one of the following amounts based on the average actual attendance set forth by Missouri State's ticket system, regardless of the actual people attending the game.
Between 4,000 and 4,999 — $20,000
Between 5,000 and 5,999 — $25,000
Between 6,000 and 6,999 — $30,000
Between 7,000 and 7,999 — $40,000
Between 8,000 and 8,999 — $50,000
Between 9,000 and 9,999 — $60,000
10,000 or greater — $75,000
According to Martin's contract, he will receive monthly updates on Missouri State's attendance average. Exhibition games won't count.
What is Cuonzo Martin's buyout?
The entire deal is guaranteed barring the university doesn't dismiss Martin with cause.
After the 2024-25 season — $2,575,000
After the 2025-26 season — $1,950,000
After the 2026-27 season — $1.3 million
After the 2027-28 season —$650,000
What if Cuonzo Martin was to leave on his own terms?
Martin would owe Missouri State the following if he leaves before his contract is up:
Before March 15, 2026 — $600,000
After 2025-26 season — $400,000
After 2026-27 season — $200,000
After 2028-29 season — No cost
Martin wouldn't be obligated to pay anything if he left collegiate coaching entirely for a minimum of one year, if he took an assistant job for one year, if he was the head coach at Division II or III program or took a head coaching job in the NBA.
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Cuonzo Martin contract at Missouri State: Salary, buyout, incentives