this article discusses the history of conference realignment and exit fees in college sports, specifically focusing on the situations involving the WAC, Nevada, Fresno State, and the Mountain West (MW) conference.
Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
The WAC and Nevada/Fresno State Departure: In 2010, Nevada and Fresno State decided to leave the WAC for the Mountain West Conference. The WAC commissioner, Benson, was upset and demanded a $5 million exit fee, threatening to sue.
No Signed Exit Fee Agreement: The crucial point is that Nevada and Fresno State had not signed an exit-fee agreement with the WAC.This meant the WAC lacked legal standing to demand the $5 million.
The Settlement: Ultimately, the WAC sued over the timeline of the departure (Nevada and Fresno State gave less than the required notice). The schools agreed to stay in the WAC for two more seasons and pay a significantly reduced exit fee of $900,000, paid over five years.
Contrast with the Modern MW Situation: The article then contrasts this with the current situation where five MW schools (Boise State, Colorado State, utah State, San Diego State, and Fresno State) are leaving for the Pac-12. The MW’s Exit Fee Policy: The MW has a policy, agreed upon in 2021, that requires departing schools to pay an exit fee of three times their annual conference distribution, with at least one year’s notice. This policy was signed by all members.
Utah State’s Situation: Utah State had verbally agreed to a new media rights deal with the MW but never signed it before accepting an offer to join the Pac-12.
The Analogy: The author uses the WAC/Nevada situation to argue that the MW trying to enforce its signed exit-fee policy on the departing schools is different from the WAC trying to force Nevada to pay a fee it never agreed to.
The Author’s Stance: The author believes the departing MW schools should honor their signed exit-fee agreements. They point out that Nevada, unlike the current departing MW schools, did not have a signed contract with a $5 million penalty and therefore didn’t owe it. The author criticizes the current MW schools for suing to get out of their agreed-upon fees.
In essence, the article argues that while conference realignment and exit fees are common, the specific legal and contractual circumstances of Nevada’s departure from the WAC were different from the current situation with the Mountain West, making the author’s criticism of the MW schools’ actions more pointed.