MW calls departing schools’ legal efforts ‘inconsistent and unjust’

Mountain West officials expressed frustration with their ongoing legal battles with their departing members in a fiery statement issued Thursday afternoon after one case took yet another turn.

The Mountain West referred to the actions of the five schools leaving the league for the Pac-12 — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego State — as “inconsistent and unjust.” The quintet is attempting to challenge almost $150 million in exit and poaching fees stemming from their decision to depart the Mountain West in September 2024.

The Mountain West claims the schools owe the league approximately $18 million each for leaving. The Pac-12 also owes an $11 million per school poaching penalty due to a scheduling agreement between the two conferences.

UNLV stands to receive a significant amount of any money collected, but a legal battle is being waged on multiple fronts to tie up the payments.

The Pac-12 is challenging the poaching fees in a case filed in the Northern District of California, while Colorado State is challenging the exit fees in a separate case filed in Denver District Court that was joined by Boise State and Utah State.

The California case is proceeding after an attempt at mediation proved unsuccessful. The Denver one appears to be on a similar track after a status report filed by the schools Thursday said mediation was unsuccessful. The schools said they intend to file an amended complaint next week.

Mountain West officials confirmed mediation was unsuccessful. The league is incredulous that the schools are seeking to avoid payment, especially since four of them tried to enforce the same exit fees when San Diego State threatened to leave the Mountain West in 2023.

“This litigation centers on the obligation of these institutions to pay the exit fees clearly defined in the Mountain West Conference bylaws — policies they not only helped develop and adopt, but also sought to enforce against San Diego State in the summer of 2023,” the Mountain West said in a statement. “It is, therefore, inconsistent and unjust for these same institutions to now attempt to evade their responsibilities. In fact, the departing schools have agreed to similar exit fee provisions as part of their membership in the Pac-12.”

The Mountain West said it will fight any attempt by the departing schools or the Pac-12 to pay lesser amounts than what it claims it is owed.

“The Mountain West is prepared to respond to whatever assertions may be included in the Second Amended Complaint,” the league said in its statement. “We remain confident in our legal position, which we will vigorously defend.”

All five schools are set to compete in the Mountain West during the 2025-26 school year before leaving for the Pac-12.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.