The Pac-12 and Mountain West told a federal court Monday they had reached a settlement in principle to resolve their litigation over so-called 'poaching' penalties and exit fees. The agreement surfaced one day before a scheduled discovery hearing and leaves key financial details, including how money might move between the conferences and their member schools, still completely unknown.
Settlement disclosed in court filings
The parties informed a federal court Monday that they had reached a settlement in principle, according to News3LV. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen ordered the parties to file a notice of settlement by Tuesday, June 2, the outlet reported.
No terms released; hearing scheduled
Court listings show there were 'no details, no docs and nothing' finalized, but a hearing is scheduled for June 9, according to Sports Business Journal. The same listings said the Mountain West had been seeking upwards of $150 million in exit and penalty fees tied to schools that opted to leave for the Pac-12.
How the fight started
The dispute began after the Pac-12 extended invitations in 2024 to several Mountain West programs. The Mountain West later sought what it characterized as roughly $55 million in termination and penalty payments tied to a 2024 scheduling agreement, and the Pac-12 filed suit arguing the clause was anticompetitive, according to reporting by AP.
Legal next steps
The case is listed in public trackers as Pac-12 Conference v. Mountain West Conference (No. 24-cv-06685) before Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen, and court records and trackers show the parties notified the court of a settlement in principle and the judge set a deadline for a formal notice, per the College Sports Litigation Tracker. Van Keulen had previously left major claims intact in the case, so the docket posed real risk for both sides before the settlement notice landed.
Why Las Vegas matters
Local money is one reason the fight mattered, as the Mountain West has been planning to move its headquarters to Las Vegas and UNLV signed a grant-of-rights to remain in the MWC through 2032, arrangements that would shape how any settlement or fee collection is distributed, according to reporting that the conference bets on Las Vegas for new headquarters. Those local deals turned the dispute into an immediate revenue problem for cities and athletic departments, not just a paper-law fight.
With terms still unannounced, the settlement's concrete impact will depend on whether the Pac-12 pays a reduced fee, the Mountain West accepts a smaller package, or the parties agree to non-monetary remedies. Either way, the notice lifts a major legal cloud that had complicated TV negotiations and scheduling plans for hundreds of college athletic events.
