The Pac-12 Sues the Mountain West Over $40 Million Poaching Penalty

The Pac-12 conference has taken legal action against the Mountain West over a disputed “poaching penalty” that would cost the rebuilding conference more than $40 million. The penalty was incurred for adding Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, and San Diego State to its roster. The lawsuit was filed in federal court and seeks to challenge the legality of the penalty.

In the lawsuit, the Pac-12 claims that the Mountain West’s poaching penalty is anticompetitive and unlawful, designed to inhibit competition for member schools in collegiate athletics. The Mountain West has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

According to the complaint, the Mountain West has established exit fees for departing schools, with additional poaching fees that were triggered by the Pac-12’s recent recruitment efforts. The poaching penalty increases by $500,000 for each school added to the conference from the Mountain West, resulting in a total penalty of $43 million for the current additions.

The Pac-12 has also extended invitations to Utah State and UNLV, further complicating the situation. Adding these schools would incur an additional $24.5 million penalty for the Pac-12 and leave the Mountain West with only six members, below the NCAA and College Football Playoff requirements.

The Pac-12 asserts that the existing exit fees in the Mountain West already compensate for the loss of departing members and that the poaching penalty serves only to increase the Mountain West’s profits by restricting competition. The Pac-12’s expansion efforts are part of a broader strategic move to strengthen its position in collegiate athletics.

As the legal battle unfolds, the future of both conferences remains uncertain. The outcome of the lawsuit will have significant implications for the landscape of collegiate sports and the relationships between conferences in the coming years.

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