Pac-12, Mountain West fail to resolve poaching fees case in mediation

New York Times

16-07-2025

The Pac-12 Conference and the Mountain West Conference are heading back to court after failing to resolve their $150 million-plus poaching fees case by a deadline that had been set for Tuesday.
The lawsuit was initially brought by the Pac-12 last September over poaching fees it said the Mountain West had forced upon it. The Mountain West countered with a motion to dismiss. Both conferences filed a motion on March 14 to stay the case to discuss mediation. The conferences had a deadline of July 15 to report to the court on the progress of the mediation.
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On Tuesday, the Pac-12 and Mountain West acknowledged that they had not made progress and requested that the court hold a hearing on Sept. 9.
In a statement acquired by The Athletic on Tuesday, the Pac-12 acknowledged that sides had 'jointly requested a hearing on the pending motion to dismiss,' adding that 'the Pac-12 remains committed to moving forward with legal action in response to the Mountain West's attempt to impose so-called 'poaching penalties,' provisions we believe are unlawful and intended to obstruct our ability to act in the best interests of our student-athletes and member institutions.
'We are confident in the strength of our position and remain focused on upholding the academic excellence, athletic success, and proud tradition that have defined the Pac-12 for more than a century.'
The Mountain West did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
New in court: The Pac-12 and Mountain West did not resolve their $150m+ poaching fees case in mediation, so it'll continue in court.
MW has filed a motion to dismiss the Pac-12's case, that'll come up in September. pic.twitter.com/wpHr2xwtzt
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) July 15, 2025
In late 2023, the Mountain West, Pac-12, Oregon State and Washington State signed a football scheduling agreement for the 2024 season. OSU and WSU lacked options following the set departures of 10 Pac-12 schools to the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. As part of the agreement, the Pac-12 agreed to a set of escalating poaching fees if it added some, but not all, Mountain West schools.
After the Mountain West and Pac-12 couldn't reach a scheduling agreement last summer for the 2025 season, the Pac-12 added Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State. Those moves are set to happen next summer.
In the case filed in California in late 2023, the Pac-12 sued over the $55 million in poaching fees owed to the Mountain West over the Pac-12's additions of the five Mountain West schools.
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In its lawsuit, the Pac-12 argued that the poaching fees and agreements were forced upon them at a vulnerable time. The Mountain West said the conference and its two members made the agreement freely and made no objection at the time. In December, the Mountain West filed a motion to dismiss the case.
It is worth noting that the five schools that are departing the Mountain West did put in their notice to leave this summer, putting their exit fees at $18 million each. Some of those schools have separately sued the Mountain West over their exit fees, but this mediation had hoped to resolve it altogether.
The entire saga has come as a result of the disintegration of the Pac-12 in 2023-24. Former members USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon are now in the Big Ten, while Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado have moved to the Big 12. Stanford and Cal are now competing in the ACC.
Oregon State and Washington State, the lone remaining teams from the conference, have tried to lead a rebuild. In addition to the five former Mountain West schools set to join, Texas State has also agreed to move over from the Sun Belt Conference next July. Basketball power Gonzaga, a member of the West Coast Conference, will also join next July as a non-football member.