Barry Alvarez isn’t prowling the sideline any longer for the University of Wisconsin football team but his name still has value.
This year alone, Alvarez, who is UW’s athletic director, stands to make more than $175,000 in outside income, ranging from speeches to major corporations, autograph signings, and radio and television appearances. That comes on top of his $500,000 annual salary as athletic director, as well as the $100,000 he receives each year through the Mendota Gridiron Club and the National W Club.
With interest nationally in the Bowl Championship Series, Alvarez has positioned himself as a national expert on the topic. Fox Sports is paying Alvarez $55,000 to be its go-to guy for commentary on the upcoming BCS bowl games. But there is more, according to records on file with the UW Athletic Department.