​J Batt’s official start date as Kentucky’s athletic director has been set, while the terms of his contract buyout with Michigan State are in place and his departure from MSU’s athletic department remains unresolved. Batt will assume his duties at Kentucky on July 28, as announced by the school. Kentucky officials confirmed that MSU will receive a buyout payment of $3.95 million to terminate Batt’s six-year, $12.6 million-plus contract that he signed with MSU last year when he was hired away from Georgia Tech.
A source familiar with the negotiations told the Detroit Free Press that the buyout amount had been negotiated down from the $5 million MSU was originally owed under Batt’s contract. The agreement had included an escape clause that would have halved the buyout if MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz left his post, but Guskiewicz announced on Monday that he would stay in East Lansing rather than pursue the Clemson opportunity he initially accepted on May 27.
Batt, who had been serving in the MSU athletic department, clapped during a game at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. MSU athletics communications noted that Batt remains an employee and is reporting to work at the university, though no departure date had been finalized at the time of the report, with administrators indicating an imminent resolution.
MSU originally hired Batt on June 2, 2025, following his exit from Georgia Tech. He accepted Kentucky’s offer just over a year later, on June 15, while Guskiewicz was still in a period of uncertainty. As of now, neither Guskiewicz, Kentucky, nor MSU’s Board of Trustees has announced an interim athletic director while Batt remains in his MSU role.
During his one-year tenure at MSU, Batt earned a base salary of $1.85 million, with a scheduled $100,000 raise set for July 1. His contract contemplated annual raises through 2030-31 that would bring his final year compensation to about $2.35 million, along with unspecified annual bonuses tied to goal attainment established each June with the university president.
Kentucky’s six-year contract for Batt reportedly places his annual pay at nearly $3 million and designates him to serve as both athletic director and chief executive officer of the school’s Champions Blue organization. The buyout and transition details reflect the shifting landscape as Batt moves to Kentucky, while MSU continues to plan for leadership within its athletic department.
For further updates, follow Chris Solari at the Detroit Free Press and subscribe to the Spartan Speak podcast for more coverage. This report originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press under the headline: J Batt has start date at Kentucky, reduced buyout at Michigan State for better SEO.