BEVO BEAT Athletics Texas athletics lays off at least 13 staff members in departmental restructuring Posted June 4th, 2018


At least 13 Texas athletic department staffers were notified Monday morning they were being laid off, a source told the American-Statesman Monday.

Athletic director Chris Del Conte confirmed to the Statesman that some staffers were notified on Monday. But Del Conte has compared the UT athletic department to a “battleship.” Part of that is the sheer size of the staff.

Another source familiar with the layoffs described those summoned to a morning meeting with Del Conte as “rank-and-file” employees.


“These are good people,” Del Conte said an interview with the Statesman. “It’s hard for me to look at a piece of paper and say, ‘That’s just a name.’ I understand the expectations placed on coaches. But we’re talking about staff. They’re good people. They have families. These types of decisions are always difficult.

“But my job is to create the most efficient department I can for the betterment of our student-athletes and coaches,” he added.

According to salary data previously obtained by the Statesman, the UT athletic department had 448 full-time staff members with an aggregate base salary total of approximately $47.3 million. The Longhorns typically have more than 500 athletes, creating almost a 1:1 ratio, something unheard of in major college athletics.

Contact Brian Davis at 512-445-3957. Email bdavis@statesman.com.

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