Virginia Tech reveals contract details, buyout for James Franklin
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Virginia Tech revealed the contract details for new head coach James Franklin, 2 days after introducing him as the new man in charge in Blacksburg and 4 days after making the hire official.
According to the numbers released by Virginia Tech to ESPN on Friday, Franklin’s deal will be worth at least $41.75 million over 5 years. The deal for Franklin, who was fired by Penn State last month, will run through the 2030 season. The contract is particularly backloaded, with Franklin being owed $6 million for next season and as much as $13.25 million at the end of the deal for the 2030 season.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Friday that the contract includes an average salary of $8.2 million. Of particular note though is the increase in staff salary pool. The staff pool money is shooting up to $15.5 million, an increase of almost $7 million, according to Thamel.
Franklin’s contract also includes bonuses of up to $800,000 per year, which will be based on the Hokies’ TV ratings. The bonus based on TV viewership is aligned with the ACC‘s new revenue model that rewards the programs that pull in the most TV ratings.
The money allotted to Franklin’s support staff could also increase based on how many games the Hokies win. It would range from an increase of $200,000 for assistants and $125,000 for supplemental staff for winning only 6 games to a much bigger increase of $800,000 for assistants and $575,000 for supplemental staff for winning 12 games.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
