Pac-12 and MWC settle over exit fees and poaching

The Pac-12 and Mountain West have finalized a settlement over "poaching" and exit fees, the two conferences announced Tuesday, saying all sides have reached final agreements to settle all pending litigation. The statement included Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State and the board of trustees of the California State University on behalf of San Diego State and Fresno State.

"With these matters concluded, the conferences and institutions can move forward with certainty and focus on serving their student-athletes, campuses, fans, and communities," the statement said. The conferences had announced an agreement in principle in May.

The Pac-12 and some of the schools joining the conference filed a lawsuit in California in 2024, claiming the poaching clause the league agreed to when it signed a scheduling agreement for its football teams was invalid. That clause called for payments to the Mountain West of $10 million for the first team that left, with the amount increasing by $500,000 for every additional team, for a total of $55 million.