Why Danny White waited until April Fools' Day to fire Lady Vols HC Kellie Harper
The Tennessee Vols announced on Monday that Kellie Harper has been relieved of her duties as the head coach of the Lady Vols. It might seem a bit odd that the move was made on April Fools' Day, a week after the Lady Vols lost to NC State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but […]
The Tennessee Vols announced on Monday that Kellie Harper has been relieved of her duties as the head coach of the Lady Vols.
It might seem a bit odd that the move was made on April Fools' Day, a week after the Lady Vols lost to NC State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but there was a reason that Tennessee fired Harper on a day that's become known for fake news reports.
And it's of course a financial reason.
Harper's buyout dropped significantly on April 1. If Harper would've been fired before April 1, she would've received 100 percent of the compensation she was owed through April 14, 2027. But since she was fired on April 1, Harper is only owed 50 percent of the compensation she's owed from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2028 (the end of her contract).
Essentially Harper's buyout dropped from $1.1 million per year through 2027 to $550,000 per year through 2028.
It was a no-brainer for Tennessee to wait until April 1 to make what was undoubtedly a difficult decision.
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