October 17, 2025 • 7 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It was a massive day for sports in Indiana yesterday.
Some guy got a kajillion dollars. Let's get to the
bottom of it. John Herrick, news director here at WIBC,
also the pregame, halftime and postgame host for all things
Indiana Athletics, football, and basketball, joins us now John Herrick.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hello, Hello, Rob.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
How are you so we have a programming tonight right
here in WIBC. Yeah, it feels like it gets earlier
and earlier every year where they have exhibition games for
IU basketball. So they start their first basketball game against
it's against Marion. So Marion has their athletic director is
Steve Downing who played at IU back in the seventies
(00:41):
and they've always just had that relationship. And Pat Knight
coaches Marion nice Son, so there's an IU relationship there
between both schools.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And then the big game tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I you giving nine million points to Michigan State, but
that's homecoming.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
That is homecoming.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yes, Okay, Now, speaking of which, big news yesterday, Kurt Signetti,
the IU football coach, the best thing that ever happened
to him was James Franklin getting fired at Penn State
because he just signed a massive contract extension, tell.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Us about it.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, So, I mean I think that Pam Whitten and
Scott Dolson thought last year when they signed him to
a big extension, that's the president, that's the president and
the athletic director. I think they thought, well, this is
going to last a while. Well, James Franklin gets fired,
Kurt Signetti's name is thrown around as a potential candidate
to replace Franklin at penn State and from and I'm
(01:34):
not surprised at all because from the conversations I've had
with Witten and Dolson, they are not going to let
Kurt Signette get away.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
They're just not.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
And so when I heard that Franklin got fired, and
you know, you know, Kurt Signette's from Pennsylvania, I was like,
they're not going to let this happen. They just won't.
So they they were able to go and remodify his deal,
and instead of having him stay through twenty thirty one,
it's now through twenty thirty three. And instead of him
making eight million, he's now making closer to twelve million.
And but here's the funny thing. Under his old salary,
(02:05):
he was like the eighteenth highest paid coaches. Well, I
was talking a few of my friends yesterday. There's no
way there are seventeen coaches in college football that are
better than Kurt Signetti's. So they had to re up
his pay to make him, you know, more competitive with
some of the elite coaches, especially when you're coming off
that big win over Ore again.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So it's eight years, ninety three million dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yes, so it's eleven point six thereabouts, and it's making
per year.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
It's guaranteed, right if they give him the boot, like
let's just say he turns into a bad coach overnight.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, he gets it all. Yeah, he gets it all.
And then the buyout is massive. I don't know the
exact number, but it would probably be more than what
Jimbo Fisher got. I think Jimbo Fisher has the largest buyout,
which is like close to seventy seven million.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
So it comes up to like eleven point six million
dollars a year. So he in two years will really
less than two years, went from making two million dollars
a year to eleven point six million dollars a year.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yes, and ten years ago he said he was making
one hundred thirty thousand dollars. He said that last night
on The Coaches Show with Tom Fisher, and now he's
making close to twelve million.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Okay, but the reality of this is he's probably worth it,
especially as the Big ten is rumored to be Now
Michigan and USC are apparently holding this up. But in some
deal that could be worth two billion dollars for this
conglomerate or whatever they're looking at putting together to make
money off rights deals, each of the schools will be
(03:33):
in for at least one hundred one hundred million. I mean,
football and basketball are the drivers on this for if
your IU, you can't let the guy go.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah, you definitely can't. And especially with you know, most
of your money coming from football sales and ticket sales,
With that and all, there's just so many people that
come to football games compared to other sports. And when
people ask me, well, why does football drive so much
of this, Well, A lot of it's about attendance. And
then when you sell out, your stadium's constant than you
build bigger stadiums, like so IU stadium holds about a
(04:04):
little over fifty thousand.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Is that the John Mellencamp Field. Is that what it's called,
That's that's the practice field. Mart Memorial Stadium is what
holds closer to fifty five. He only game enough to
get the practice field named after Amethan.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, is there like a menu when you give well,
I want the factual field, damrew. Well, okay, that's going
to cost us. What about the practice field, Well, here's
gonna be okay, I'll write a check for that.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes there.
John Herrick from the wec newsroom is our guest. He's
also the pregame halftime postgame host for IU football and basketball.
You can hear him tonight. In fact, right here on WIBC.
IU basketball starts tonight. So but when you think about
it from an economic standpoint, people are going to IU
(04:48):
football games now, yeah, no offense. Somebody was going to
the games two years ago.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
No, they weren't.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
So you're almost getting your money back just based on that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, I mean you're basically, I mean, he's bringing so
much money into the university just before anybody shows up
to the game to buy a hot dog. I mean,
he's just the interest in the buzz around AU football
has been in a level it's never been before. I
mean there's been different seasons where they've had one good
season here and there, and then they fall off the map.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Ethan I wish ever could see either. Now you can't.
If you go to the YouTube chat.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Look your jaw is hitting the floor because and this
way I said, I've taken this off your plate either
because I know you don't do sports.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Think about this.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
The guy was making two million dollars two years ago
and now he's making an eleven point six million guarantee.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
The main takeaway for me is that at least college
universities have the ability to build their own sports stadiums.
I wonder how long it is before we start having
a call up and pay for those too, just like
we do Lucas Oil Stadium.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
I mean, at least they're generating enough income to make
it self sustaining. Regardless of whether I can even build
another stadium.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I know they just do a bunch of stuff and
I used to.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah, they've been upgrading it, and I do think at
some point that they are going to make upgrades. Kurtzignetti
had said in the off season that that press box
is gonna come down, which I know Don Fisher would
love to have happened, because it does need to be upgraded,
as do a lot of press boxes around the big
ten Penn States, which is all bad state, awful, terrible,
(06:14):
absolutely horrible.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yes state.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yes, So when we went in there two years ago,
there's no room in that press box at all, and
so I just waited until Don set everything up. I'm like,
you're far more important. I'll wait till you get set
ups and then I'll sit in next to you. And
we were like elbow to elbow me him, but me
and him, rht Lewis and our stat guy were just
like all knuckle to knuckle at It's terrible in there.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You get tempted, like just when you're doing the pregame
show or something, just go on a rant about something.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I mean, you got the live mike.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
We do, but we yeah, we all kind of go
on rants during sometimes during commercial breaks. One time a
wasp flew in and it almost it came really close
to stinging Don. So I grabbed a water bottle and
I just killed this wasp and he's over here like
what are you doing? I was like, saving your life
is what I'm doing. A wasp was getting near you.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Just like here at WIBC, you never get the credit
you deserve here. John, Tonight, I you basketball. What time
does this game start? It starts at seven thirty.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
We go on at six thirty.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Very good, John, Eric, thank you, Thank you guys, appreciate it.
It was a massive day for sports in Indiana yesterday.
Some guy got a kajillion dollars. Let's get to the
bottom of it. John Herrick, news director here at WIBC,
also the pregame, halftime and postgame host for all things
Indiana Athletics, football, and basketball, joins us now John Herrick.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hello, Hello, Rob.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
How are you so we have a programming tonight right
here in WIBC. Yeah, it feels like it gets earlier
and earlier every year where they have exhibition games for
IU basketball. So they start their first basketball game against
it's against Marion. So Marion has their athletic director is
Steve Downing who played at IU back in the seventies
(00:41):
and they've always just had that relationship. And Pat Knight
coaches Marion nice Son, so there's an IU relationship there
between both schools.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And then the big game tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I you giving nine million points to Michigan State, but
that's homecoming.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
That is homecoming.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yes, Okay, Now, speaking of which, big news yesterday, Kurt Signetti,
the IU football coach, the best thing that ever happened
to him was James Franklin getting fired at Penn State
because he just signed a massive contract extension, tell.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Us about it.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, So, I mean I think that Pam Whitten and
Scott Dolson thought last year when they signed him to
a big extension, that's the president, that's the president and
the athletic director. I think they thought, well, this is
going to last a while. Well, James Franklin gets fired,
Kurt Signetti's name is thrown around as a potential candidate
to replace Franklin at penn State and from and I'm
(01:34):
not surprised at all because from the conversations I've had
with Witten and Dolson, they are not going to let
Kurt Signette get away.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
They're just not.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
And so when I heard that Franklin got fired, and
you know, you know, Kurt Signette's from Pennsylvania, I was like,
they're not going to let this happen. They just won't.
So they they were able to go and remodify his deal,
and instead of having him stay through twenty thirty one,
it's now through twenty thirty three. And instead of him
making eight million, he's now making closer to twelve million.
And but here's the funny thing. Under his old salary,
(02:05):
he was like the eighteenth highest paid coaches. Well, I
was talking a few of my friends yesterday. There's no
way there are seventeen coaches in college football that are
better than Kurt Signetti's. So they had to re up
his pay to make him, you know, more competitive with
some of the elite coaches, especially when you're coming off
that big win over Ore again.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
So it's eight years, ninety three million dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yes, so it's eleven point six thereabouts, and it's making
per year.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
It's guaranteed, right if they give him the boot, like
let's just say he turns into a bad coach overnight.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah, he gets it all. Yeah, he gets it all.
And then the buyout is massive. I don't know the
exact number, but it would probably be more than what
Jimbo Fisher got. I think Jimbo Fisher has the largest buyout,
which is like close to seventy seven million.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
So it comes up to like eleven point six million
dollars a year. So he in two years will really
less than two years, went from making two million dollars
a year to eleven point six million dollars a year.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yes, and ten years ago he said he was making
one hundred thirty thousand dollars. He said that last night
on The Coaches Show with Tom Fisher, and now he's
making close to twelve million.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Okay, but the reality of this is he's probably worth it,
especially as the Big ten is rumored to be Now
Michigan and USC are apparently holding this up. But in some
deal that could be worth two billion dollars for this
conglomerate or whatever they're looking at putting together to make
money off rights deals, each of the schools will be
(03:33):
in for at least one hundred one hundred million. I mean,
football and basketball are the drivers on this for if
your IU, you can't let the guy go.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yeah, you definitely can't. And especially with you know, most
of your money coming from football sales and ticket sales,
With that and all, there's just so many people that
come to football games compared to other sports. And when
people ask me, well, why does football drive so much
of this, Well, A lot of it's about attendance. And
then when you sell out, your stadium's constant than you
build bigger stadiums, like so IU stadium holds about a
(04:04):
little over fifty thousand.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Is that the John Mellencamp Field. Is that what it's called,
That's that's the practice field. Mart Memorial Stadium is what
holds closer to fifty five. He only game enough to
get the practice field named after Amethan.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, is there like a menu when you give well,
I want the factual field, damrew. Well, okay, that's going
to cost us. What about the practice field, Well, here's
gonna be okay, I'll write a check for that.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes there.
John Herrick from the wec newsroom is our guest. He's
also the pregame halftime postgame host for IU football and basketball.
You can hear him tonight. In fact, right here on WIBC.
IU basketball starts tonight. So but when you think about
it from an economic standpoint, people are going to IU
(04:48):
football games now, yeah, no offense. Somebody was going to
the games two years ago.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
No, they weren't.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
So you're almost getting your money back just based on that.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, I mean you're basically, I mean, he's bringing so
much money into the university just before anybody shows up
to the game to buy a hot dog. I mean,
he's just the interest in the buzz around AU football
has been in a level it's never been before. I
mean there's been different seasons where they've had one good
season here and there, and then they fall off the map.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Ethan I wish ever could see either. Now you can't.
If you go to the YouTube chat.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Look your jaw is hitting the floor because and this
way I said, I've taken this off your plate either
because I know you don't do sports.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Think about this.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
The guy was making two million dollars two years ago
and now he's making an eleven point six million guarantee.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
The main takeaway for me is that at least college
universities have the ability to build their own sports stadiums.
I wonder how long it is before we start having
a call up and pay for those too, just like
we do Lucas Oil Stadium.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
I mean, at least they're generating enough income to make
it self sustaining. Regardless of whether I can even build
another stadium.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I know they just do a bunch of stuff and
I used to.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah, they've been upgrading it, and I do think at
some point that they are going to make upgrades. Kurtzignetti
had said in the off season that that press box
is gonna come down, which I know Don Fisher would
love to have happened, because it does need to be upgraded,
as do a lot of press boxes around the big
ten Penn States, which is all bad state, awful, terrible,
(06:14):
absolutely horrible.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yes state.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yes, So when we went in there two years ago,
there's no room in that press box at all, and
so I just waited until Don set everything up. I'm like,
you're far more important. I'll wait till you get set
ups and then I'll sit in next to you. And
we were like elbow to elbow me him, but me
and him, rht Lewis and our stat guy were just
like all knuckle to knuckle at It's terrible in there.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You get tempted, like just when you're doing the pregame
show or something, just go on a rant about something.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I mean, you got the live mike.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
We do, but we yeah, we all kind of go
on rants during sometimes during commercial breaks. One time a
wasp flew in and it almost it came really close
to stinging Don. So I grabbed a water bottle and
I just killed this wasp and he's over here like
what are you doing? I was like, saving your life
is what I'm doing. A wasp was getting near you.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Just like here at WIBC, you never get the credit
you deserve here. John, Tonight, I you basketball. What time
does this game start? It starts at seven thirty.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
We go on at six thirty.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Very good, John, Eric, thank you, Thank you guys, appreciate it.
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