Tubby Smith out as head basketball coach of the University of Memphis.
He was 40-26 over two seasons. It doesn’t look like this is related to any sort of scandal, unlike some other recent firings. But this is interesting:
…Smith’s dismissal is more related to off-court factors than the on-court product.
Attendance at home games fell to a 48-year low this year. As a result, the athletic department could miss out on an $800,000 payment from the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the school’s lease at FedExForum.
Donations to the athletic department also fell by $1.1 million during the 2016-17 fiscal year thanks in large part to a drop in men’s basketball season ticket sales.