The Pac-12 Convention was left floundering in 2023 when 10 of its members decided to leave for other Power Five destinations.
The Mountain West Convention prolonged a serving to hand and signed a football-only scheduling agreement that stored remaining Pac-12 faculties Oregon State and Washington State competitively related.
Now, the Pac-12 is difficult the legality of a so-called “poaching penalty” included in that settlement, which each events are permitting to run out after this season. ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura first reported the Pac-12’s federal lawsuit on Tuesday.
The swimsuit claims the penalty is “anticompetitive and illegal,” per ESPN. The penalty states the Pac-12 is responsible for $10M (plus a $500K escalator) for each faculty which will determine to depart the Mountain West for it.
The Pac-12 announced Sept. 12 it was adding four schools from the Mountain West in 2026 — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State — in an try to succeed in the eight-team NCAA minimal.
According to ESPN, Utah State will probably be becoming a member of the 4 departures and there is a important probability UNLV may additionally depart. That will give the Pac-12 eight members however go away the Mountain West with simply six.
So based mostly on the reported language of the penalty clause, the Pac-12 is on the hook for at the least $67.5M if it does get all six reported faculties.
What does this imply for future convention realignment?
The Pac-12’s lawsuit would not be solely unique to its dispute with the Mountain West. A positive ruling that strikes down the penalty clause may make it considerably simpler for extra conferences to actively coax faculties to depart their house organizations for a brand new alternative elsewhere.
Different conferences appear to be studying that writing on the wall. The American Athletic Convention already reached out and received recommitments from Memphis, Tulane and South Florida on Monday. All three had been beforehand seen as potential targets by the Pac-12.
The Mountain West’s “poaching penalty” clause seems to be an insurance coverage coverage, giving the convention an inflow of money to remain afloat whereas it pivots to new members.
The Pac-12 is in the midst of a two-year grace interval supplied by the NCAA so it could actually discover six new members. The Mountain West could also be supplied the identical if it falls beneath the eight-team threshold by 2026.
Such a big seize by the Pac-12 will definitely set off extra convention realignment however one convention is certain to lose out within the chain response. Eliminating an assurance just like the “poaching penalty” would drastically change the panorama much more.
It is solely a matter of time however followers ought to brace themselves for the continued aftershocks of 2023’s seismic actions.
