The 2025 season was a total disaster for the Buffs. While Deion Sanders couldn’t find the right formula, the team limped to just three wins. Surely, it was a breaking point for Coach Prime and his program. However, Boulder isn’t standing still. Looking ahead to 2026, the school has already taken strategic steps to support Sanders, including hiring Fernando Lovo as the new athletic director to set the stage for a comeback.

At 37, significantly younger than Coach Prime, Lovo steps in to replace Rick George, who left earlier this year. Now, while Lovo’s time at New Mexico was brief  — almost a year  — his mission in Boulder is enormous. The challenge is to restore the Buffs to national prominence after a dramatic fall. But that challenge didn’t come without a paycheck.

What is Fernando Lovo’s net worth in 2025?

While Fernando Lovo’s net worth isn’t publicly known, his career trajectory suggests it is on the rise. While he made waves in his first AD role with the Lobos, Boulder brings a whole new level of responsibility for him.

Colorado closed this season at 3–9. Now, to restore the program’s competitiveness and secure new funding to tackle a $27 million deficit, Lovo has to make strategic decisions. Moreover, he has to support Deion Sanders, who still has four years left on his $10 million-a-year contract. While Lovo’s plate is full, his track record shows he has the potential to deliver.

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Lovo made a splash from day one as a first-time AD. At UNM, he shook up the coaching ranks, bringing in new leaders for football, men’s basketball, women’s soccer, and volleyball. On top of that, he kicked off major renovation projects for the baseball and softball facilities. And the results were immediate.

While football soared to nine wins and tied for the Mountain West crown, men’s basketball claimed the regular-season title. For a first-time AD, Lovo’s impact was nothing short of remarkable, and now he brings that same energy to Colorado with a multi-year deal.

Fernando Lovo’s contract breakdown

Lovo signed a five-year deal with Colorado that kicks in Thursday and runs through Dec. 31, 2030. But to make the move, CU will buy out his contract at UNM for roughly $800,000.

At UNM, he had four years remaining. Interestingly, his contract included a hefty clause: if he left for another job, he would owe half of the remaining base pay, $1.6 million over four years, according to USA TODAY Sports.

The investment makes sense, as Lovo brings a proven pedigree to Colorado. He’s served as chief of staff for the NFL’s Jaguars and held two administrative roles at Texas. Then, New Mexico snapped him up in December 2024, and he wasted no time making an impact.

In his first year, the Lobos grew their operating budget by 17.6%. More importantly, Lovo also hired football coach Jason Eck, a former Colorado graduate assistant, and the Lobos finished 9–4.

With a track record like that, the new AD didn’t come cheap for Colorado.

What is Fernando Lovo’s salary?

CU made a major financial statement with Lovo’s $6 million contract. Now, while his base salary is set at $600,000, with an additional $300,000 each for media responsibilities and community relations, CU will also cover his buyout from New Mexico.

But the most intriguing fact is that Lovo’s five-year deal pays $1.2 million per year, plus incentives, making him the highest-paid athletic director in school history.

He will earn more than his predecessor, Rick George, whose final contract, approved in September 2023 and running through June 2027, started at $1.1 million annually. Before that, George’s 2021 extension had him earning $1 million per year.

While CU is paying top dollar for its next leader, Fernando Lovo also earned a strong paycheck at his previous stops.

Fernando Lovo’s career earnings

Before arriving in Colorado, Fernando Lovo was on a five-year contract with the Lobos, earning $500,000 annually, including a $400,000 base salary. Along with that, an additional $100,000 was available as supplemental income tied to media obligations.

Now, his arrival in Boulder brings a major pay jump along with big responsibilities, capping a career that has included several notable stops along the way. Lovo’s journey started close to home. He began his career in football operations at Florida, his alma mater.

From there, he climbed quickly. In 2016, he became Texas’ chief of staff for football, a role he held until 2021. That year, the NFL came calling, and Lovo took the same position with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Not long after, he returned to Austin as a senior associate AD.

Now, all that experience could help Deion Sanders’ Colorado get back on track.