A contract acquired by Skyline Sports, Montana athletic director Kent Haslam signed a one-year contract on September 2 of 2026 that runs through August 31 of 2027.
In the No. 1 section of the contract, it states: This Agreement expires automatically at the end of the term. Neither party should have any expectation of renewal. However, UM will notify AD a minimum of five months prior to expiration of this contract if non-renewal is intended. If UM notifies AD less than five months prior to expiration of this contract, the contract will continue five months from time of notification and expire at that time.
The contract was first reported on by Greg Rachac of MTN and MontanaSports.com. The contract was acquired by Skyline via a Freedom of Information Act request by Schuyler Watt.
View Kent Haslam’s 2026-27 contract
Per the contract, Haslam signed a one-year contract that runs from Sept. 1, 2026 through Aug. 31, 2027. Montana University System chief legal counsel Ali Bovingdon signed the same day, and UM president Dr. Jeremiah Shinn and Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian signed on Sept. 3.
Haslam’s base salary is $262,236.
Under the extension clause, UM can start negotiating a new agreement with Haslam on or after March 1, 2027. Any extension would need a separate written agreement and Board of Regents approval.
The notice clause matters just as much. If the university does not plan to renew, it has to tell Haslam at least five months before the contract expires, which puts the deadline at the end of March 2027. If UM gives notice later than that, the contract runs five more months from the date of notice.
Montana is under the direction of new president Jeremiah Shinn, who took over for Seth Bodnar on July 1 of 2026.
Haslam was named Montana’s AD in September 2012, replacing Jim O’Day after O’Day’s abrupt firing. He first came to Missoula in 2006 as associate athletic director for development. According to MTN, his previous contract ran out in June but included a five-month extension clause, which covered the gap until the new deal.
Where the money goes
Beyond his base salary, which is paid in biweekly installments, Haslam can earn:
- $500 a month as a car stipend
- $10,000 for meeting any one of three goals: at least two Griz teams reaching the postseason, finishing in the top half of the Big Sky All-Sports Trophy standings, or finishing in the top half nationally in the Learfield Directors Cup
- $10,000 if UM qualifies for the NCAA’s academic revenue distribution
- $10,000 as a retention bonus if he is still employed on June 30, 2027
If he hits everything, Haslam’s total cash compensation comes to about $298,236. Each incentive is paid within 60 days of being earned.
The contract includes buyout terms in both directions.
If UM relieves Haslam of his duties before the term ends, it owes him his base salary and benefits for the remaining months, paid biweekly. The car stipend and other perks are not part of that payout.
If Haslam leaves early for another job, he owes UM liquidated damages tied to his base salary. That amount is prorated, and it drops to zero once six or fewer months remain on the deal, which happens at the start of March 2027. He would also owe nothing if he leaves college athletics entirely or takes a Division I job other than athletic director.
A termination for cause would require written notice, and Haslam would then have seven days to request a hearing in front of people appointed by the president.
One oddity: the preamble lists the agreement’s effective date as Sept. 1, 2023, while every other date in the document points to the 2026-27 year. It looks like leftover language from an earlier version of the contract.
“I certainly want to be here. I love being here,” Haslam told MTN Sports during an interview in May. “I’m confident in who I am and what I’ve done and what I’m accomplishing, and I hope that meshes with what the new president wants.”
