KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — University of Tennessee Athletics Director Danny White announced Friday that UT Coach Tony Vitello will be sticking with the Vols for several more years after signing a contract that will make him the highest-paid baseball coach in college sports.
"Tony and his staff have developed the country's top baseball program, and we are excited to announce this long-term extension to keep Tony on Rocky Top," White said. "As an athletics department, we aim to lead the way in college sports, and Tony has created a baseball program that sets the standard across the entire sport. The on-field results in the nation's best conference are unmatched, and the enthusiasm he has brought to Vol Nation has been incredible to witness."
The contract extension comes on the heels of the Baseball Vols' historic championship-winning season. Vitello led Tennessee to its first national championship in program history and was named National Coach of the Year by multiple outlets, UT said.
Now for the really fun part:
How much more will Tony Vitello be paid?
Under his previous contract, Vitello earned a base salary of $350,000 annually with $1.15 million in supplemental pay from big sponsorships, broadcast contracts and endorsements. In total after the bonus payment from the College World Series championship win, Vitello was paid at least $1,640,000 last season.
Under the new contract, he will still get paid a base salary of $350,000 through 2029. However, his supplemental pay is more than doubling to $2,650,000. He also receives 75% of any revenue from baseball equipment endorsement contracts. Combined with extra pay, he will earn more than $3,000,000 a year at a minimum -- making him the highest-paid coach in college baseball. And that's before considering all the other extras he's getting in the new contract.
Vitello previously was paid a $140,000 bonus for winning the College World Series. The new contract bumps that number up to $200,000, but also provides smaller bonuses in the postseason depending on how well the Vols do. If the Vols appear in the NCAA Regionals and make it no further, he would get paid an extra $40,000 that season. The number increases each time the Vols advance further toward the CWS Championship.
On top of that, he received a $250,000 signing bonus.
Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin previously earned the highest yearly salary. According to a 2023 report from The Tennessean in Nashville, Corbin earned at least $2.4 million in the 2022-23 season.
