Pac12 vs MWC Sept (Lawsuit Update)

[ragtimejoe1]

I have firsthand experience dealing with federal courts, although not in a sports capacity. The first and most important lesson I learned the process is lengthy and guessing the outcome is unwise. I have two cases awaiting to be heard for the past three years. Due to my age, I have accepted that I may not be alive to see the result. I'm hopeful my wife is still around to collect any benefits from my cases. And yes, Discovery is a bitch - one case was slightly more than 18 months in Discovery, and then the judge ruled against me on all points except one. Now the appeal is in the system, who knows when it will be heard. My attorney told me that courts are backlogged until November 2026.
It will be interesting to see how quickly the MC/Pac case is decided. I'm not hopeful it will be soon.

The play here for the pac and defectors is to draw this out as long as possible so the MWC can't make payments to UNLV and AF next July. Basically hoping to make the MWC fall apart so there is nobody left to owe the money to. If AF and UNLV aren't paid by July 1, I think the gor is null and void.

 

[PorkerPoke]

Due to my age, I have accepted that I may not be alive to see the result. I'm hopeful my wife is still around to collect any benefits from my cases.

Sorry to hear Steamboat. While I may not have any court cases and hope I never do, due to my age I am becoming so much more complacent as an adamant Cowboys fan on the hopes I will live long enough to see the team have any 60’s or 80’/90’s success.

I reluctantly accept getting to 6 wins is considered a sign of success. Would love to finish the season as the conference champion one more time and that seems so unattainable I continue to lose interest.

 

[Steamboat]

The play here for the pac and defectors is to draw this out as long as possible so the MWC can't make payments to UNLV and AF next July. Basically hoping to make the MWC fall apart so there is nobody left to owe the money to. If AF and UNLV aren't paid by July 1, I think the gor is null and void.

I agree

 

[Itsux2beaewe]

Not exactly sure what you are talking about. Discovery officially started yesterday and thus there has been no discovery to-date.

The only pleadings in the case, being the complaint filed quite a while ago and the answer/counterclaims filed yesterday, contain paragraphs of merely unproven allegations. A party is required to make allegations in their pleadings to support the claims they make and the relief they seek. The allegations are then supported or not-supported by the evidence which comes through discovery (likely a 1-2 year process).

Aren’t depositions considered evidence, and as good as testimony, and under oath? If so, the maggies VPAD admission seems pretty compelling that “dirty deeds” were going on. Further admissions from others seems it went back to 2023 and intentional to inflict pain on the MW. Seems pretty evident to me.

 

[Itsux2beaewe]

I think this is a war of attrition now. I think the MW has the better legal argument but the PAC stabbers are just trying to drag it out and make it painful to ensure a settlement that much in their favor. Will the MW and schools hold out and commit to the long run? Might have to to ensure the payments to UNLV etc.

I think the arrogance of the beavers thought they could roll the MW. It would be an easy peasy win. I don’t think this works out as well as they thought.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

Aren’t depositions considered evidence, and as good as testimony, and under oath? If so, the maggies VPAD admission seems pretty compelling that “dirty deeds” were going on. Further admissions from others seems it went back to 2023 and intentional to inflict pain on the MW. Seems pretty evident to me.

Depositions are admissible evidence (except hearsay). A party is unable to take depositions until discovery starts and usually depositions are taken at the end of discovery. I doubt any depositions are taken in the case for at least 6-9 months.

 

[Cowboy20]

I agree

There’s money to pay them. The PAC-stabbers don’t get any money this year due to the conference withholding any due to them in their last year. The MWC members are just fine. The new pac will be the ones going through the original war chest, watching it dwindle to lawyers fees and then payouts. Dumb, dumb, move by the pac-stabbers. They hitched themselves to the wrong wagon.

 

[PorkerPoke]

There’s money to pay them. The PAC-stabbers don’t get any money this year due to the conference withholding any due to them in their last year. The MWC members are just fine. The new pac will be the ones going through the original war chest, watching it dwindle to lawyers fees and then payouts. Dumb, dumb, move by the pac-stabbers. They hitched themselves to the wrong wagon.

My golfing buddy is a CSU alum. He even shakes his head in disgust what is happening for really not significant financial gain and says he is losing interest in following them.

 

[Midwest Cowboy]

Not exactly sure what you are talking about. Discovery officially started yesterday and thus there has been no discovery to-date.

The only pleadings in the case, being the complaint filed quite a while ago and the answer/counterclaims filed yesterday, contain paragraphs of merely unproven allegations. A party is required to make allegations in their pleadings to support the claims they make and the relief they seek. The allegations are then supported or not-supported by the evidence which comes through discovery (likely a 1-2 year process).

I understand this. However, with depositions yet to occur, where did some of the interesting quoted material come from? Footnote 61 re: Utah State. Regardless if they are "unproven" some are pretty juicy quotes (that will no doubt be disputed).

 

[HR_Poke]

The play here for the pac and defectors is to draw this out as long as possible so the MWC can't make payments to UNLV and AF next July. Basically hoping to make the MWC fall apart so there is nobody left to owe the money to. If AF and UNLV aren't paid by July 1, I think the gor is null and void.

except with the withheld tv earnings they have more than enough to pay AF and UNLV. I really think the only intent of WOSU is to make the departing schools cover the cost of exiting so they can maintain enough money to keep funding their AD's another year with PAC monies.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

I understand this. However, with depositions yet to occurred, where did some of the interesting quoted material come from? Footnote 61 re: Utah State. Regardless if they are "unproven" some are pretty juicy quotes (that will no doubt be disputed).

Footnote 61 appears to be a purported Learfield radio show appearance. I am sure the MWC would seek to depose Utah State's athletic director probably 9 months or so down the road if the case doesn't settle.

 

[Steamboat]

except with the withheld tv earnings they have more than enough to pay AF and UNLV. I really think the only intent of WOSU is to make the departing schools cover the cost of exiting so they can maintain enough money to keep funding their AD's another year with PAC monies.

I am no expert on this situation, so I asked the moderator on GoWyoGo for his take on this issue. He has followed this drama closely and this is his response."

"UNLV and Air Force have signed a GOR through 2032, so they iron clad in the MW until then with the remainder of MW schools. Also, they are committed to the MW fight against the PAC or they would have not signed the GOR. The PAC has made one misstep after another, so they are really grasping for straws right now and little bit in desperation mode, hoping the MW would break (it hasn't happened). Since the UNLV/Air Force stayed in the MW plus the AAC schools balked at their advances, it has put the PAC in a tough situation.

By drawing this out, they thought they could get the MW to settle at a lower price. Doesn't appear this will happen.

MW already has been keeping the exit fees from the Benedict Arnold "Five" and I expect to eventually get the $55M that OSU/WSU owe them.

All the legal people I read, seem to think the MW is in the much stronger legal position.

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"By the way, it is not correct the GOR is void, if the MW doesn't pay UNLV by next summer's date. There's an understanding here. The commissioner basically said this last week at media days.

Communicate this to the WyoNation crowd. Highly likely UNLV will be in the MW until at least 2032 unless the BIG 12 comes calling (which I doubt). There's no conceivable path for them to join the PAC now with all the legal stuff, Grant of Rights signed, and high fees associated.

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[OrediggerPoke]

I am no expert on this situation, so I asked the moderator on GoWyoGo for his take on this issue. He has followed this drama closely and this is his response."

"UNLV and Air Force have signed a GOR through 2032, so they iron clad in the MW until then with the remainder of MW schools. Also, they are committed to the MW fight against the PAC or they would have not signed the GOR. The PAC has made one misstep after another, so they are really grasping for straws right now and little bit in desperation mode, hoping the MW would break (it hasn't happened). Since the UNLV/Air Force stayed in the MW plus the AAC schools balked at their advances, it has put the PAC in a tough situation.

By drawing this out, they thought they could get the MW to settle at a lower price. Doesn't appear this will happen.

MW already has been keeping the exit fees from the Benedict Arnold "Five" and I expect to eventually get the $55M that OSU/WSU owe them.

All the legal people I read, seem to think the MW is in the much stronger legal position.

Reactions:You

"By the way, it is not correct the GOR is void, if the MW doesn't pay UNLV by next summer's date. There's an understanding here. The commissioner basically said this last week at media days.

Communicate this to the WyoNation crowd. Highly likely UNLV will be in the MW until at least 2032 unless the BIG 12 comes calling (which I doubt). There's no conceivable path for them to join the PAC now with all the legal stuff, Grant of Rights signed, and high fees associated.

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I largely agree on this. I’ve read the MWC MOU and I don’t see any escape clause out of the GOR for UNLV or Air Force if they aren’t paid the money on time due to ongoing litigation. In fact, the MOU seems to contemplate that litigation could occur and takes that into account.

As indicated, UNLV can escape the grant of rights if they receive a Big 12 invite per the terms of the MOU.

I do see very different legal strengths in the two separate cases however. The MWC’s claim to exit fees is very strong IMO. The MWC’s claim to the entirety of ‘poaching fees’ is not IMO because it appears largely to be liquidated damages for a harm that is already compensated by the exit fees.