New Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork to make $2 million a year as part of contract
Ross Bjork, who was introduced as Ohio State’s next athletic director on Wednesday, will make just over $2 million a year, not including performance incentives and retention bonuses, as part of a compensation package that was set earlier this week.
As outlined under the terms of the contract, which was obtained by The Dispatch through a public records request, Bjork is due $1.65 million for his base salary, as well as $350,000 in media, promotions and public relations and $60,000 in fringe benefits.
The length of the agreement is for five years, running through June 30, 2029, and puts Bjork among the small handful of the country’s athletic directors earning more than $2 million annually. It remains subject to approval by the university’s board of trustees after being signed on Monday.
The annual compensation mirrors what has been owed to Gene Smith, his predecessor leading the Buckeyes’ athletic department. Smith signed an extension in 2021 that raised his pay to more than $2 million a year.
Bjork, who has been the athletic director at Texas A&M since 2019, will take over for Smith in July, but step into a formal role at Ohio State four months earlier.
Starting on March 1, Bjork will be a senior advisor to the athletic department and receive a monthly salary of $175,000, according to an offer of employment letter, totaling $700,000 over the period. The university will pay up to $25,000 in moving expenses and a temporary living allowance of $2,500.
More: Oller: New Ohio State AD Ross Bjork excels at playing 'Moneyball' fundraising game
Through a one-time payment of $1.09 million, Ohio State is also covering the sum of the $750,000 buyout that Bjork owes Texas A&M for leaving before his contract expires in 2026. Bjork had been making $1.5 million a year while at the helm of the Aggies' athletic department.
Following his news conference, Bjork said he would “wrap up” his tenure at Texas A&M in the next “couple of weeks.”
“Just handing stuff off,” Bjork said. “They’re in the process of evaluating interim leadership and stuff like that. I’ll start coming around more after March 1.”
If Bjork remains the athletic at director through June 30, 2027, he is owed a $500,000 retention award, followed by another one worth $750,000 if he stays through June 30, 2029, which spans the duration of the contract.
More: Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy
The maximum performance bonuses for Bjork over a year is $250,000, spanning the placement in the standings for the Capital One Cup and the Directors' Cup to postseason appearances for football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball and national championships in other varsity sports.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ross Bjork to make $2 million a year as Ohio State athletic director
