South Carolina Athletics: Gamecocks’ AD Ray Tanner gets contract extension; fan reaction mixed

In a somewhat surprising move, on Friday, it was reported by Gamecock Central’s Collyn Taylor and The Big Spur’s John Whittle that South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner was receiving a contract extension. In fact, according to the reports, the deal is already done. At the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, Tanner was awarded a two-year extension to his already existing deal. The new deal will run through 2026 and is a raise from his previous deal. The new contract will pay him $1.175 Million per year.

Tanner, the greatest baseball coach in the history of the University of South Carolina, stepped out of the dugout and into the Athletics Director position in 2012. His tenure has been very polarizing amongst the fanbase as he has done very well in updating athletics facilities and fundraising but has a less-than-stellar track record of hiring coaches.

Among the positives during Coach Tanner’s AD career is the modernization of the facilities across many sports, especially football. The Long Family Football Operations Center is among the best in the country and was planned and built during Tanner’s tenure. He also has been the overseeing authority during the early stages of the “Stadium Project” that could propel the University of South Carolina into the top-tier of college athletics revenue-making.

The negatives mainly focus on coaching hires. After his resignation from coaching the baseball team, Tanner hired Chad Holbrook and Mark Kingston. Holbrook did not work out, and Mark Kingston’s team is playing well this season, but he entered the season on the hot seat. The final years of the Frank Martin tenure as the head men’s basketball coach were not handled well, and the fanbase was underwhelmed with his selection of Lamont Paris.

Perhaps the biggest failure of the Tanner reign was Will Muschamp. In addition to an embarrassing coaching search that saw the Gamecocks end up with their fifth or sixth choice, Muschamp was given two strange contract extensions that required the University to pay a large buyout when they fired Muschamp. The Shane Beamer hire looks good so far, but the process that led to his hiring was not the best optics for the Athletic Department.

Because of the polarizing nature of Tanner’s time in charge, fans are split on the decision.

Some, understandably so, do not understand the extension.

Others believe Tanner deserves his extension.

The 65 year-old, 2-time national champion on the diamond will have no buyout in his contract (either way) after July 1, 2024.