This is where we all collectively say, “Mike Slive is a genius.”

According to USA Today, Slive made $3.6 million as his base compensation during the final year of his tenure in 2014-15. The fiscal year ended ended Aug. 31, 2015.

And he was grossly underpaid.

The report from USA Today uncovered that the SEC made $527.4 million in the first year of the College Football Playoff and the SEC Network. Last spring, the conference announced that it would distribute $31.2 million per school — $455.8 million total.

Those numbers are only going to go up in the future.