Danny White, Tennessee’s athletic director, has signed a new contract extension that increases his salary to $2.75 million per year and extends his contract until 2030, with incentives for the Vols to reach the new College Football Playoffs as well as rewards for teams winning Southeastern Conference championships and making the NCAA Tournament.
On Thursday, Chancellor Donde Plowman announced the new deal inked earlier this month, honoring White for leading Tennessee to the SEC regular-season crown in men’s basketball and the program’s first national championship in baseball. Plowman hired White away from Central Florida in January 2021, and he has overseen a significant makeover of the Volunteers’ athletic program, as well as its success, earning him a contract renewal in 2023.
“When Danny says he and his team of exceptional athletics administrators and coaches are working to build the best athletics department in the country, those are not just empty words,” Plowman told the audience. “Danny is a visionary – a leader in our conference and around the country – who works every day to provide the best possible experiences for our student-athletes, fans, and athletics department. That dedication and effort are producing exceptional outcomes in all sports.”
White launched a campaign in 2021 to raise $500 million by 2026, which has now reached $559 million. He oversaw upgrades to Neyland facility and the baseball facility.
He had been scheduled to receive $2.2 million. This arrangement, which is valid until July 31, 2030, honors White for being one of only two Power Five institutions to send every team to the postseason this year. That is a first for Tennessee. The Vols also finished third in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings for the first time since the award’s inception in 1993, while winning their third consecutive SEC All-Sports Trophy.
The modified contract contains incentives based on Tennessee’s academic advancement rate. The Vols had their best GPAs as an athletic department in the previous year, and the Tennessee Fund raised $139.7 million in the fiscal year ending June 30.
All 14,500 men’s basketball season tickets for the 2017 season have already sold out, and No. 15 Tennessee, which opens the football season Saturday against Chattanooga, has at least 15,000 people on the waiting list.
White commended Tennessee’s leadership, from Plowman to system president Randy Boyd, and fans for their support.
“Together we have an opportunity to build something extraordinary on Rocky Top,” White told the crowd. “I believe that the momentum we’ve built in our first few years is only the beginning of a much more profound story.”
