West Virginia University (WVU) basketball coach Bob Huggins is under fire for making homophobic remarks during a sports radio show in Cincinnati. Although he issued an apology and WVU condemned his comments, the question remains whether Huggins’ contract and purchase would deter the university from firing him.
Bob Huggins contract and salary
Bob Huggins has an impressive coaching record, with over 900 career victories and multiple appearances in the NCAA Tournament. His coaching prowess earned him a contract Through the end of the 2024 season, with an annual salary of $4.2 million.
In addition to his salary, Huggins can also earn Incentives up to $650,000. These incentives are awarded for a team’s performance in the conference and NCAA tournament play. However, all of this is in jeopardy after Huggins calls Xavier’s fans a homophobic slur on the radio.
What did Bob Huggins do?
Huggins has used a homophobic slur, twice, to describe Xavier’s fans. If you must hear it for yourself, check out the clip below.
⚠️ This is the sound of Bob Huggins calling Xavier fans “Catholic p-s” during an appearance on Bill Cunningham’s WLW radio show in Cincinnati pic.twitter.com/JTftGx9rQE
– awful advertisement (@awfulannouncing) May 8, 2023
Huggins later apologized and WVU is in the midst of conducting their own investigation.
Statement from WVU Athletics. pic.twitter.com/BGGAErDU22
– WVU Sports (WVUSports) May 8, 2023
Bob Huggins Takeover
As of April 1st, Bob Huggins The acquisition was only $2,593,750 – Total minimum range for Division I head coaches.
A relatively low possession may not be enough to protect Huggins from being fired. In the world of college sports, a buyout is often used as a financial vehicle for the coach and the university, ensuring a smooth transition if the contract is terminated. Purchasing Huggins, if he gets fired for no reason, might seem affordable to WVU.
The difference between “because of” and “without reason”
To understand the implications of potentially being fired by Huggins, it is necessary to explain the difference between the “because” and “no reason” terminations. coach dismissalwith cause” usually refers to breach of contract or other violations, such as NCAA violations. In these cases, the university may avoid paying the acquisition fee altogether.
On the other side, Terminations for “no cause” are often related to performance or other factors not expressly stated in the contract. In these cases, acquisition plays a role.
In the case of Huggins, it is unclear whether his homophobic remarks would be considered grounds for termination “because”. It is likely that the university will have a clause that requires Huggins not to damage the university’s reputation, but this should be specifically stated in the contract.
If WVU determines that his comments do not fall into this category, the university will be liable to pay $2.5 million. With public opinion increasingly demanding accountability for such aggressive behavior, it is not inconceivable that WVU would choose to sever ties with Huggins despite the financial implications.
Should Huggins resign?
Some argue that Huggins should be fired, citing the low cost of purchasing him and the need for the university to take a strong stand against bigotry. As a public figure and role model, Huggins’ actions have consequences, and WVU arguably has a responsibility to send a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.
Huggins, on the other hand, may choose to resign voluntarily, thus sparing WVU the need for a decision. This option would allow him to walk away (somewhat) safely while accepting responsibility for his actions. However, it remains to be seen if Huggins will consider this path, given his long and successful coaching career.
This is probably the best option for WVU, as the college basketball world awaits the outcome of the school’s “investigation” of their head coach using homophobic slurs twice on public broadcast.