As we discussed earlier, game coverage is an important aspect of an athletic director's responsibility. This role not only encompasses being at the athletic contest, but also preparing the facility for a home game. In the occasional rare overlap, the AD can get others to help, but for the most part, the real difficulties arise when the basketball season begins and the athletic director must be three places at the same time. First and foremost, principals and superintendents must be made aware of scheduling conflicts. A tidy way to handle scheduling overlaps is to have someone else cover the home contest.
Problem is, most administrators view the home contest as part of the paid AD's job.
Receiving permission to pay stipends to other coaches for game coverage is a pretty simple, standard idea. Coverage, however, is not the only area of concern. Those doing part-time AD work need to be made aware of all AD responsibilities such as greeting the visiting team, putting equipment away, and paying the officials, to name a few jobs. The fact that a coach does AD work should not eliminate that person from the evaluation process. You better believe it, and if your program has had any success at all, other programs will watch you even more carefully than they might have if you didn't coach.