Utah State, Colorado State To Sue Mountain West Conference Over Exit Fees
Dec 16, 2024, 5:59 PM
Maverick Stadium is pictured at Utah State University in Logan on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Photo courtesy Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
(Photo courtesy Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Both Utah State and Colorado State University are suing the Mountain West regarding millions of dollars in exit fees that the conference says the two schools owe.
The schools filed a legal complaint in a Colorado District Court in Denver on Monday.
Colorado State & Utah State filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Mountain West over millions in exit fees related to their departure to the Pac-12, per documents obtained by @YahooSports.
The schools say the fees – $19-38M per school – are “invalid.”https://t.co/WWTmrnSdMr
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 16, 2024
With both the Aggies and Rams set to join the Pac-12 in 2026, they have a few boxes to check before they can make the move.
However, they both agree that the cost of their exit fees are “invalid.”
In a press release from the O’Melveny Law Firm, the details of the complaint are outlined.
“The complaint was filed in response to the Conference’s extraordinary and illicit efforts to penalize Colorado State and Utah State—as well as Boise State University, Fresno State University, and San Diego State University—for the five members’ announced intent to leave the Mountain West and join the Pac-12 Conference in 2026, following the conclusion of their media rights deal.”
The full complaint goes on to say that the steps taken by commissioner Gloria Nevarez and the Conference were not made in fairness but rather in an effort to prevent other members from leaving the Mountain West.
The complaint also says that the exit fees that the Conference asks for are “excessive, punitive, and bears no reasonable relationship to the estimated harm that the Mountain West may suffer should a member elect to resign from the Conference.”
Statement from the Mountain West on the lawsuit filed today by Colorado State and Utah State over exit fees. pic.twitter.com/sAMT48za2V
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 16, 2024
The Mountain West was quick to respond to the complaint and some of the allegations made in it.
“The lawsuit filed today by Colorado State and Utah State is an inappropriate attempt to circumvent their clear financial obligations as departing members of the Mountain West. The Mountain West rules pertaining to withdrawal from the Conference are long-standing and were developed and codified by the current member institutions – including Colorado State and Utah State. We look forward to responding to the lawsuit to refute several inaccurate and specious assertions included in the filing.”
