How much Marcus Sedberry will make as Wisconsin Badgers’ interim AD
TL;DR
Marcus Sedberry will earn a base salary of $875,000 as the interim athletic director for the Wisconsin Badgers. His previous salary as deputy AD was $334,805, which will resume if he does not secure the permanent position.
Key points
- Marcus Sedberry appointed interim AD for Wisconsin Badgers
- Sedberry's interim salary is $875,000
- Previous deputy AD salary was $334,805
- Chris McIntosh's salary was $1.5 million
- McIntosh left for a position at the Big Ten Conference
Mentioned in this story
MADISON – While it is unclear how long Marcus Sedberry will be in the Wisconsin Badgers’ interim athletic director role, it is clear how much he will make in the process.
Sedberry’s appointment to interim AD will come with a base salary of $875,000, according to his offer letter, which the Journal Sentinel obtained via an open records request.
The interim appointment does not change any of the other terms and conditions for Sedberry, who was UW's deputy AD and football general manager. If he does not receive the permanent AD role, his salary will “return to at least $334,805 plus any intervening pay adjustments,” according to the letter.
Sedberry, who signed to acknowledge and accept the offer letter on April 12, stepped into the interim role amid predecessor Chris McIntosh’s abrupt departure to take a job at the Big Ten Conference office as deputy commissioner for strategy.
McIntosh’s base salary was $1.5 million for the 2025-26 academic year, with $1 million coming from the university and $500,000 coming from the UW Foundation. The university’s pay was going to increase by $50,000 for each year of the contract, which went through June 30, 2029.
A 25% buyout was in place if McIntosh left for “comparable employment as an administrator at a college or university or as an executive with an NFL club,” according to his contract.
Sedberry said at a UW Athletic Board meeting that he did not think it would be wise to “make any wholesale shifts or changes right now” in the interim role.
UW chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, who will soon leave to become the next president at Columbia University, said at that same meeting that a “thorough national search will be undertaken and that you can expect more details on this process in the near future.”
Mnookin has tabbed soon-to-be interim chancellor Eric Wilcots to oversee the search for McIntosh’s permanent replacement.
“We appreciate your willingness to take on this important leadership role and your continued service to UW-Madison,” Mnookin wrote to Sedberry in the offer letter. “I am confident that you will have the full support of campus leadership as you guide the Division during this interim period.”
Marcus Sedberry, deputy athletic director/chief operating officer for Wisconsin Athletics, is shown before their game against Middle Tennessee Saturday, September 6, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How much Marcus Sedberry will make as Wisconsin Badgers’ interim AD
Q&A
What is Marcus Sedberry's salary as interim athletic director for Wisconsin Badgers?
Marcus Sedberry's salary as interim athletic director is $875,000.
What was Chris McIntosh's salary before leaving the Wisconsin Badgers?
Chris McIntosh's salary was $1.5 million for the 2025-26 academic year.
What will happen to Sedberry's salary if he does not become the permanent AD?
If Sedberry does not become the permanent AD, his salary will return to at least $334,805.
