The Mountain West and the Pac-12 continue to go at it as conference realignment spreads throughout college sports. On Tuesday, the Pac-12 filed a lawsuit against the Mountain West over millions of dollars in fees, described in an agreement between the two schools as a “poaching penalty”.
The penalty was triggered when five current Mountain West schools — Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State and Utah State — agreed to join the Pac-12. The agreement was put into place after the two conferences entered a scheduling agreement that allowed the two remaining Pac-12 schools, Oregon State and Washington State — to fill out their 2024 football schedules.
On Tuesday, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez responded to the lawsuit, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network.
Mountain West commish Gloria Nevarez: “To say the Mountain West was taking advantage of the Pac-12 could not be farther from the truth” pic.twitter.com/KPegqOqiun
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 24, 2024
“To say that the Mountain West was taking advantage of the Pac-12 could not be farther from the truth,” part of the statement from Navarez read. “The Mountain West Conference wanted to help the Pac-12 schools and student-athletes, but not at the expense of the Mountain West. The Pac-12 has taken advantage of our willingness to help them and enter into a scheduling agreement with full acknowledgment and legal understanding of their obligations.”
Utah State’s defection on Monday leaves both conferences with just seven teams, meaning they both need to make one addition to remain as official conferences.
Who else can the new-look Pac-12 add?
The addition of Utah State on Monday means that the Pac-12 must add just one team to get themselves to the eight-team minimum threshold for recognition as an official conference.
The natural addition would be UNLV, as the conference already plays its postseason football and basketball championships in Las Vegas. On Monday, it was reported that the Rebels were committed to the Mountain West, but the possibility of UNLV leaving for the Pac-12 seems to have reopened after their commitment to the league was not officially formalized.
The Rebels would be a natural fit with the league due to their historic basketball tradition and their strong football program, which has a chance to make the College Football Playoff in the first year with the expanded 12-team format.
The Pac-12 is still searching for more members after their pursuit of four American Athletic Conference teams — Memphis, UTSA, Tulane and South Florida — reaffirmed their commitment to the AAC. Both the Pac-12 and the Mountain West are in need of one more school, as both currently sit at seven members after Utah State’s move on Monday.
The post Mountain West commissioner breaks silence on Pac-12’s lawsuit appeared first on ClutchPoints.
