New Tennessee athletic director Currie gets five-year deal

New University of Tennessee athletic director John Currie and new University of Tennessee Chancellor Beverly Davenport speak on stage during a ceremony introducing Currie in Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Thursday, March 2, 2017. Currie previously worked at Tennessee for about a decade in various capacities before leaving for Kansas State, where he has been athletic director since 2009. (Caitie McMekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP) /Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)

By Associated Press March 3, 2017 2 min read

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – New Tennessee athletic director John Currie has a five-year contract worth at least $900,000 annually with opportunities for raises and additional bonuses.

Currie was hired Tuesday to replace Dave Hart, who announced in August he plans to step down. Currie, who has been Kansas State’s athletic director since 2009, held his introductory press conference at Tennessee on Thursday. Currie officially begins his new job April 1 on his 46th birthday.

Contract terms were released Friday.

Currie’s contract expires June 30, 2022, and includes $300,000 in base compensation plus $600,000 in supplemental pay. He gets a $75,000 signing bonus plus $35,000 in moving expenses.

Starting on July 1, 2018, Currie will have $25,000 added to his base pay each year.