Start filling up the Pit again and these things happen.
With attendance increased by more than 30% in the Pit this past season, leading to higher-than-projected revenue from ticket sales, parking, concessions and men’s basketball-specific donations, the University of New Mexico on Friday announced a pay raise and extra year for Richard Pitino, who is entering his third season leading the Lobo men’s basketball team.
Over the life of the new contract, which UNM and Pitino started negotiation last fall, Pitino’s annual salary and compensation before bonuses will average about $1.2 million — up from what was about $817,000 per year — and will rank him among the top four earners among men’s basketball coaches in the Mountain West conference.