Kent State Files Breach of Contract Suit Against Coach Ford

[Beninator]

You always take the guaranteed money.

+1

[amckillip]

Common sense? Bird in the hand being worth 2 in the bush? That kind of thing.

You always take the guaranteed money.

My point is that KSU holds all the cards. BU needs to avoid, not only the financial loss, but can't afford the poor publicity. This case will make the next coaching search more difficult, especially if it gets (more) ugly.

[JMM28]

My point is that KSU holds all the cards. BU needs to avoid, not only the financial loss, but can't afford the poor publicity. This case will make the next coaching search more difficult, especially if it gets (more) ugly.

I don't think it is good publicity for either school, but I would say it is worse for Kent State. They are never going to be a destination job. They will always be a stepping stone position, and they are getting worse publicity out of this than BU.

The situation of the elder Beilein going to Michigan from WVU is very similar. The contract was a recently signed one, he left, had a buyout of 500k a year for 5 years. They settled out of court for 1.5M payable over 5 years. I assume this case will go a similar rate. Maybe a little over half (or other considerations) payable over 5-7 years.

And I can't see BU having to pay the 25,000 or whatever if KSU gave permission for Geno to speak with them...?

[SFP]

My point is that KSU holds all the cards. BU needs to avoid, not only the financial loss, but can't afford the poor publicity. This case will make the next coaching search more difficult, especially if it gets (more) ugly.

Who cares about who is holding the cards right now. Have you ever been to a court house? Anything can happen with a jury and then all the costs associated with litigation. That is why most law suits are settled out of court.

97%....http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/s...wscolumn5.html

[Da Coach]

I agree. I think this will get settled before next season starts.

[bigdaddystuck]

IMO, Kent St. ok'd the negotiations thinking that no way GF leaves for BU. He did, and then they ask for a ridiculous amount of $$ and BU didn't want to pay it.

I believe this will be settled out of court before next season!

[tornado]

Re: the 97% figure -- I won't dispute it except that it is from a 2004 article discussing 2001 statistics...and it does not count the many, many small claims cases, which ARE civil cases, that do go before a judge..and only counts those cases that would have gone to jury trial.

[srw]

My point is that KSU holds all the cards. BU needs to avoid, not only the financial loss, but can't afford the poor publicity. This case will make the next coaching search more difficult, especially if it gets (more) ugly.

Amckillip...don't want to preach here but one of the big time real life situations is that courts are unpredictable...I've won things at times I was not expecting to and lost things where I was 100 percent right...

In this case I would say the following...

Geno should not have let the buyout be that high I. The first place...
Ksu however as stuck said hurt their own case by letting geno interview..

This case will never be tried.....

[srw]

Here you go....let's settle it now....

Bu goes to ksu for 3 years in men's hoops and we call it a day

[thefish7]

KSU would stand to make more money by coming to our place right? So a 2 for 1 or a 3 buy games at Carver. A kind of fun solution though, SRW.

[tornado]

Here's a 1+ year followup on the lawsuit Kent State filed against GF & BU...
One blogger had said it might reach court late this year if not settled before...and Ihave never seen any report as to what the suit's outcome was...
and one college, University of Central Florida School of Business,
is actually offering a class on sports law that covers the Kent State/Geno Ford lawsuit...

Here's the course syllabus and on Nov. 6 is the discussion & class on this case...

"Tuesday, November 6th
• Contract and Business Law (continued)
• Employment Contracts for College Coaches
" Case Study: Issues relating to Employment Contracts for Certain College Coaches (Billy Gillispie & Geno Ford)
• Journal Article: The Coaching Carousel in Big-Time Intercollegiate Athletics: Economic Implications and Legal Considerations
• Kent State and Coach Geno Ford Lawsuit: Complaint and Answer"

http://www.bus.ucf.edu/faculty/sbukstein/file.axd?file=2012%2F8%2FSyllabus+for+Graduate+Level+Sport+Law+Course+(Fall+2012).pdf

[tornado]

I read an update - - This lawsuit by Kent State University has been dragged out and continued many times and is not concluded....
It was first set for trial last summer, then continued 'til January 2013...and finally pushed all the way back to 10/07/2013.

The update info (and confirmed via Ohio judicial data base) says...
Kent State's lawsuit vs. Geno Ford is officially called:
2011 CV 00511 KENT STATE UNIV VS. FORD, GENE A et al JAE

Geno is being represented by attorney "FRITZ BYERS" (of Toledo, OH)
Bradley is being represented by attorney Kevin Michael Young, William Gregory Chris, and William R. Kohlhase

The "et al" are the other parties (defendants) to the lawsuit - which include..
Parker Executive Search
Bradley University
...and many people have been deposed (given testimony and their transcripts placed into evidence) including Geno, Dr. Glasser & Dr. Cross.