ASU named Graham Rossini as the next athletic director of the university after months of a longstanding vacancy and the process of him getting started in his new role has taken another huge step.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!On Thursday, the Arizona Board of Regents – who governs the state’s public universities like Northern Arizona, University of Arizona and Arizona State – approved Rossini’s proposed contract to become the Sun Devils’ AD.
Today, the board approved Graham Rossini's contract to serve as @ASU's athletic director. pic.twitter.com/A0SMhGSc3x
— Arizona Board of Regents (@AZRegents) June 20, 2024
The contract will pay Rossini a base salary of $650,000 and will run through June 30, 2027. After this season, his salary will increase by $50,000 in each of the next two years after it; up to $750,000 in the final year of the contract’s duration.
Rossini will be able to earn a retention bonus of $250,000 if he does remain as the athletic director for the entirety of the contract. He can also earn various other bonuses like an extra $50,000 for a Big 12 conference football championship or earning a spot in bowl games, $75,000 for making a New Year’s Six bowl game and $125,000 for College Football Playoff Championship appearances. He would earn another $125,000 for a national championship game appearance made by Sun Devils baseball, softball or men’s or women’s basketball.
Additionally, Rossini will be forced to forgo and repay any performance-based bonus if achievements are “diminished” or vacated by sanctions in which Rossini either knew or should have had knowledge that a violation was going on. Could also be that he doesn’t follow the correct procedures established to prevent wrongful violations.
If Rossini terminates his contract prematurely, he would not be allowed to take up an athletic director job at any Big 12 university without the OK from ASU president Michael Crow for the remaining portion of the contract.
If you are looking for more information on Rossini’s deal, click here to access the public information made by the ABOR.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
