Cougs, Beavers Sue PAC-12 Conference Over Schools Leaving

According to court papers filed Friday in Whitman County Superior Court (where Pullman is located) Washington State and Oregon State have filed a lawsuit against the PAC-12  over the other schools leaving.

 WSU, OSU claim other schools violated conference by-laws

According to The Center Square, the two schools are suing to protect their interests as well as:

"..they want to protect the conference's assets, get access to business information about the conference, and receive confirmation as to who can vote on decisions in the conference.

The presidents of both schools said in their lawsuit that it is "a critical step that allows the two universities to continue to explore all options for preserving the conference going forward."

The court papers claim:

"In June 2022, the University of Southern California (“USC”) and the University of California, Los Angeles (“UCLA”) announced that they would leave the Pac-12, effective August 2024, at the conclusion of its existing media rights deals with ESPN and Fox, to join the competing Big Ten Conference. Those announcements violated the Pac-12’s Constitution and Bylaws (“Bylaws”), which state that “[n]o member shall deliver a notice of withdrawal to the Conference in the period beginning on July 24, 2011, and ending on August 1, 2024"

 A number of other claims are made in the suit, including one that appears to allow the remaining members of the conference to acquire conference assets from the league if it is liquidated:

“In the event of the dissolution or final liquidation of the Conference, all of the remaining assets and property of the Conference shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities and obligations of the Conference and for necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to the members of the Conference.”

WSU and OSU say because the other schools have left, they forfeit their right to vote on any conference matters or other dealings, including this liquidation.

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With all the other schools leaving for the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, WSU and OSU are the only remaining members. There has been no formal or official announcement about the fate of the league, but it appears it is going away, especially if WSU and OSU find other homes soon.