Initially, it seemed another extension was due for Bobby Hurley. Arizona State started the 2025-26 season 9-2. But that momentum did not last long, as that loss to UCLA led to three more and the team slipped into its old habit of inconsistency. While that win against then-No. 13 Texas Tech gave a glimmer of hope, the two losses to Baylor and TCU in Texas shut the door on at-large NCAA Tournament hopes. After finishing the season 16-15 and 7-11 in the Big 12, there are reports circulating that Hurley has been fired by the program. 

“BREAKING: Arizona State has fired head coach Bobby Hurley after 11 seasons with the program,” read an X post with 2000 likes and 76 comments.

However, is this claim actually true? Let’s investigate. 

Has Arizona State Parted Ways With Bobby Hurley?

No, atleast,not yet. According to Jeff Goodman, “Arizona State is expected to part ways with Bobby Hurley after the season.” The word “expected” is very important here. It means the program is trending towards the decision. “Not true. I’ve talked to school officials also. Decision not made yet. And he’s at the end of his contract. So technically it wouldn’t be fired, contract not renewed, if it comes to that,” Arizona beat writer Michelle Gardner wrote in response to the viral post.

It makes a huge difference that he is not being fired. The program is simply not renewing his contract. In March 2024, he signed a 2-year extension worth $2.8 million. Hurley’s buyout was listed as $2 million if he terminated before June 30, 2024, and $1.5 million the following year. However, those amounts were halved because Ray Anderson is no longer the athletics director.

If ASU had terminated the contract without cause, it would have owed Hurley all of his remaining base salary and additional salary, including up to his entire 2026 retention bonus of $500,000. The school explored the “financial implications” of firing Bobby Hurley in 2025 but eventually decided to retain him. 

According to Gardner, the news of his departure is “premature.” Yet, she noted that the program might be waiting for the season to finish in order to make that announcement. SunDevilSource.com’s Chris Karpman reported that Hurley and ASU athletic director Graham Rossini plan to meet after the Big 12 Tournament to discuss their future. Even if they eventually move on from Bobby Hurley, their problems do not end there. 

New Coach Or Not, The Program Needs Investment

On a macro level, Bobby Hurley was successful at Arizona State. Hurley’s coaching record at ASU heading into the Big 12 Tournament is 184-166 (.526) over 11 seasons. He has the second-most wins in program history, only behind Ned Wulk’s 405-257 record from 1958 to 1982.

He reached the NCAA tournament 3 times but never went beyond the first round. His 2017-18 team  reached No. 3 in the AP Top 25 rankings, which tied the highest mark in program history. There is a star mark on his record, as he had to contend with budget constraints, especially after moving to the Big 12 from the Pac-12.

Yes, it meant higher media revenue and more interest. But to compete with the giants in the new conference, the budgets should match that as well. For example, According to the Ernst & Young (EY) report in 2024, Arizona State was the only school in the conference that experienced negative annual revenue growth: The Sun Devils were -2.3 percent over the five years. 

The numbers might have changed in the last two years but it shows that Hurley’s results had more dimensions than just his coaching. He has succeeded in finding talents like Jayden Quaintance and Adam Miller. Both left the program for higher paydays. In addition, the Desert Financial Arena is 52 years old and  It’s easily one of the worst venues among power conference schools. 

The $100 million renovation was approved in three stages, so the investment has started coming in. But that needs to translate to their players’ NIL deals too. Big 12 Programs like BYU and Texas Tech have their NIL budgets above $10 million (reportedly). In the current portal era, the team needs a significant salary budget, whether Bob Hurley remains the coach or not.