New Fresno State athletics director gets pay bump, 5-year deal, plus contract guarantee

Fresno State included a three-year guarantee in its offer letter to new athletics director Garrett Klassy , who on Tuesday will officially start his tenure with a department facing financial challenges, having slipped to seventh in athletics revenue from third in the Mountain West Conference over the past few years.

Klassy will be paid $410,000 a year through July 31, 2029, with $360,000 coming from the university and $50,000 from its Athletic Corporation.

That’s $20,000 a year more than Fresno State paid former athletics director Terry Tumey, who last year signed a two-year extension with an option for a third year at the sole discretion of the university president. The university and Tumey parted ways in March.

The Klassy offer letter states that “The University and the Athletic Corporation agree to not exercise or impose any non-retention efforts during the first three years of the contract term” unless it’s for cause. If Klassy is not retained without cause after his third year and prior to the start of the fifth and final year of the agreement, the Athletic Corporation will owe him a one-time payment of $200,000.

A performance bonus structure was not detailed in the offer letter, though it likely will be included in a more detailed release. Fresno State in its contract with Tumey included bonuses tied to the Bulldogs’ NCAA Academic Progress Rate scores and on-field success. He would receive a bonus if a team participated in a NCAA Tournament or were ranked at the end of a season; $7,500, for instance, if the basketball team or women’s basketball team competes in the NCAA Tournament, $5,000 if the football team competes in a bowl game and has a winning regular-season record.

The offer letter also includes a health clause. If Klassy is unable to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position due to health-related concerns, he will be deemed to have resigned and all compensation and other obligations owed by the university or the Athletic Corporation shall cease.

The $410,000 salary for Klassy lands in the middle of the Mountain West Conference.

Utah State is paying athletics director Diana Sabau $550,000 a year through 2028, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Nevada athletics director Stephanie Rempe will make $505,000 a year through 2027, New Mexico’s Eddie Nunez $432,000 through 2025, UNLV’s Erick Harper $420,000 through 2026 and Boise State’s Jeremiah Dickey $418,000 through 2025.