12/17/2021 football Edit

Alford to become FSU's first million-dollar athletics director

Ira Schoffel • TheOsceola

Managing Editor

Ira has covered Florida State for more than 15 years and college football for more than 25 years. He is a former sports editor and columnist at the Tallahassee Democrat and other outlets.

High school football players weren't the only ones signing important documents this past Wednesday.

New Florida State athletics director Michael Alford, who was hired and officially introduced last week, signed off on his new contract Wednesday, and it was released Friday evening following requests from Warchant and other media outlets.

According to the document, Alford will receive an escalating salary over each of the next five years -- from $800,000 in year one through $1.2 million in year five.

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Michael Alford is introduces as Florida State's next athletics director last week. (Gene Williams/Warchant)

From the moment the contract begins in early 2022, he will be the Seminoles' highest-paid athletics director in school history. And in year three, he will become the first to earn $1 million.

Former FSU A.D. David Coburn, who originally was hired on an interim basis, made $585,000 per year. His predecessor, Stan Wilcox, received about $758,000 annually.

Athletics director salaries across the country run the gamut from around $600,000 or $700,000 up to over $2 million for a rare few administrators. Most are in the range where Alford will be.

As Warchant reported previously, Alford will be able to earn substantial bonuses for completion of the planned football operations center and other projects and accomplishments.

He will get a $100,000 bonus if they complete the football facility, and another $100,000 if they complete the renovations project at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Alford will receive a $100,000 bonus if the Seminoles win a national title in football or $50,000 if they make a New Year's Six bowl or College Football Playoff game.

If either basketball team makes the NCAA Tournament, he gets $10,000. And if any sport other than football wins a national title, he gets $25,000.

Alford will receive $20,000 if the entire athletics department posts a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

There also are tiered bonuses if FSU finishes high in the national Directors Cup standings -- from $15,000 for being in the top 10 up to $25,000 for finishing first.

There also are some smaller bonuses based on Academic Progress Rate for various programs.

Because he is starting his tenure on Jan. 3, the first year's salary will be prorated. The following four years will begin on July 1 and run through June 30.

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