Curt Cignetti is on the verge of signing another new contract at Indiana that will pay him at least $12.5 million annually. A figure that would place him among the top highest-paid coaches in college football. Yet, despite the headline number, Cignetti may still be the most "undervalued coach" in the sport. Just not for the reasons typically debated in coaching salary discussions.
According to sports business analyst Joe Pompliano, the real value of Cignetti to Indiana extends far beyond wins and losses.
In just two seasons, Cignetti has turned one of the Big Ten’s longtime basement-dwellers into the national championship favorite, culminating in a 38-3 rout of Alabama in the Rose Bowl and a Big Ten title run that reshaped the university’s financial outlook.
What Indiana has gained from Cignetti
The most visible benefits came quickly. Before the 2025 season kicked off, Indiana football ticket revenue had already surpassed $13 million. The athletic department announced a $50 million stadium naming-rights deal with Merchants Bank. Fundraising surged to record levels, highlighted by billionaire alum Mark Cuban donating to IU athletics for the first time. A commitment he doubled-down on recently, according to Front Office Sports.
However, those gains only scratch the surface. Indiana’s football program has effectively become a national marketing engine for the university. Over 24 million viewers watched the Hoosiers win the Rose Bowl, another 18 million tuned in for their Big Ten Championship victory, and more than 2 million people watched College Gameday broadcast a three-hour showcase of Indiana’s campus. All records in the 12-team CFP era. Pompliano notes the exposure is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in brand value.
No student left behind
Nowhere is that impact clearer than in the admissions office. In 2025, Indiana set school records for total enrollment (48,626 students), freshman class size (10,127), out-of-state freshmen (4,697) and applications (73,400), according to Pompliano. Applications have jumped dramatically since 2019, rising from just over 44,000 to more than 73,000 in six years.
With demand surging, Indiana has been able to reshape its student body. Out-of-state students now make up about half of total enrollment. That shift matters financially: non-residents pay roughly $30,000 more per year in tuition than Indiana residents. The additional 500 out-of-state students admitted in 2025 alone represent about $15 million in annual tuition revenue — or $60 million over a four-year degree cycle.
More: Adam Schefter shuts down Curt Cignetti NFL rumors: “Nobody has said he’s looking to leave”
At the same time, academic selectivity has improved. Indiana’s fall 2025 freshman class posted a median high school GPA of 3.94, the highest in school history, reinforcing a virtuous cycle of athletic success, rising applications, stronger students and improved institutional rankings.
Why this matters for the future in Bloomington
It is a familiar blueprint, one perfected at Alabama under Nick Saban. It explains why Indiana is comfortable repeatedly resetting the market for Cignetti. He'll be no lower than the third highest-paid coach while at Indiana or have the opportunity to leave without penalty.
Cignetti warned during the masses during his introductory news conference in 2023. “I win,” he said. “Google me.” Indiana did — and now it is paying accordingly.
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