University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman announced in a press release Thursday that Tennessee athletic director Danny White agreed to a new contract that ties him to the university until 2030.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, White’s new contract brings the figures to a $2.75 million annual base salary for six years, with the chance for additional incentives.

White’s previous deal featured a $2.2 million salary, while his new deal paves the way to surpass the field of SEC athletic directors. Additionally, incentives include an increase in private flights — 10 one-way flights, instead of six — with a structure of bonuses that allows him to max out at $600,000, which is double his previous terms.

“When Danny says he and his team of exceptional athletics administrators and coaches are working to build the best athletics department in the country, those are not just empty words,” Plowman said. “Danny is visionary — a leader in our conference and across the country — and is focused every day on creating the very best experiences for our student-athletes, our fans and our athletics department. That focus and commitment are yielding extraordinary results across all sports.”

White’s visionaries have come to fruition. After Tony Vitello’s baseball program brought home the hardware in June, White now has a national title under his belt. During the 2023-24 academic year, Tennessee athletics also found the most success in the Learfield Directors’ Cup — an award gifted to the university with the most success in its athletic department. UT’s third-place finish is its highest in school history.

“We have phenomenal leadership at the University of Tennessee — from our chancellor, my boss Donde Plowman, to our UT System president, Randy Boyd, and our board chair, John Compton,” White said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve such an upwardly mobile institution with talented, supportive people all around me.

“Our student-athletes, coaches and staff are inspired to be a part of something bigger than themselves — powered by the best fan base in sport. Together we have an opportunity to build something extraordinary on Rocky Top. I believe that the momentum we’ve built in our first few years is only the beginning of a much more profound story.”

White came from the University of Central Florida in 2021, following the retirement of former Tennessee great Phillip Fulmer. Since then, White has restored the entire athletics department to become an emblem of excellence. In the 2023-24 athletics year, Tennessee was one of only two Power Five schools to send every team to the postseason last year — a first in UT history. The moniker “everything school” has been commonly used throughout campus, including by White, to describe the school-wide success.

The success also goes beyond the playing surface, where it reaches fan engagement. Season ticket sales have skyrocketed, bringing White’s illustrious goals to attainment. Football season tickets sold out for the second consecutive year, dispersing the entire 70,500-seat allotment, while accumulating an interest list of nearly 15,000, according to . Men’s basketball also announced a sellout on Wednesday of its 14,500-seat allotment, just over two months earlier than its sellout announcement for the 2023 season.

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