Byrne could earn as much as $1.13M annually by the '24-25 year, his last under the new dealGETTY IMAGES
In Birmingham, Rainer Sabin noted Alabama AD Greg Byrne has received a "three-year contract extension and raise." Byrne is now set to receive $980,000 in base salary this year, a $55,000 "bump from the figure he was set to earn in his original deal with the university." Byrne's pay is "scheduled to increase" to as much as $1.13M in '24-25, the "final year of the extended agreement." Byrne's base salary in '17-18 "was the second-highest" among ADs in the SEC. It would now "top the league and be ranked eight nationally based on the previous academic year's numbers" (AL.com, 8/24).
BENGAL SHAKE-UP: In Idaho, Harris & Guernsey reported Idaho State AD Jeff Tingey has been "relieved of his duties but will continue to be paid his full salary" until June '19. Tingey will "continue to receive his annual salary of $150,467 until his contract expires" in June. Tingey has been the school's AD since July '09 (IDAHOSTATEJOURNAL.com, 8/24).
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The AP's Steve Megargee wrote after "nearly nine months on the job," Tennessee AD Phillip Fulmer is "more comfortable than ever in his new role." Fulmer said, "If I was going to Michigan or Texas or East Tennessee State, it probably would be a little more foreign to me. Here, it's not been foreign at all." Fulmer "believes his coaching background benefits him" in his role as AD. Fulmer said, "You can actually go to school and not even play a sport and become an athletic director as an administrator. I'm not sure how great that is. It helps you if you've been on a sideline or you've been in a huddle or been in a fourth-and-1 and had to make a decision. It makes a difference" (AP, 8/24).
MAKING PROGRESS: In Baton Rouge, Scott Rabalais wrote LSU AD Joe Alleva has "received more than his share of criticism." But Alleva has had a "pretty darned good past couple of weeks, with some big decisions" like the news that LSU and Clemson will "play in a home-and-home series for the first time ever" in '25 and '26. But there has been a "rising tide of dissatisfaction among ticket-buying fans" who are "unhappy" with scheduling of neutral-site non-conference games. Meanwhile, LSU also will "open a sports bar" called The Chute in Tiger Stadium. With Alleva "doing the lobbying," LSU has been "trying for years to try to get enough SEC member schools on its side to overturn the prohibition rule" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 8/26).
