Breaking News- WVU, Big East reach conditional settlement

[wvjohn]

Breaking News

Thursday February 9, 2012

Source: WVU, Big East reach conditional settlement
by Mike Casazza
Daily Mail sports writer
by Jared Hunt
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
Advertiser

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia University and the Big East Conference have reached a conditional agreement to settle their legal battles against one another, a source told the Charleston Daily Mail Thursday evening.

A formal announcement could be made as early as Friday. That is also when the Big 12 is set to release its 2012 conference football schedule, media outlets reported Thursday.

The Big East will make about $20 million from the resolution, with WVU paying $11 million.

The source said the Big 12 would handle the remaining amount and the Mountaineers will enjoy full membership in that conference beginning July 1.

The source said WVU's early exit from the Big East is no longer conditional upon Boise State joining the Big East as a replacement in 2012.

The process of recruiting Boise State had been an obstacle standing in the way of a resolution.

One of the reasons the Big East has been fighting the lawsuit is the fact that it's incoming members aren't scheduled to join the conference until 2013 -- which would leave a gap in schedules if WVU left this year.

If Boise State could be swayed to join the conference a year early, it would mitigate some of the financial damage suffered by the Big East following WVU's departure.

However, it appears the case will proceed regardless of Boise State's decision.

Sources told the Daily Mail Wednesday WVU was nearly finished negotiating an agreement in which the university would pay a "cash settlement" of $11 million to complete its exit from the Big East to the Big 12 Conference this year.

On Thursday, a source close to the negotiations said the additional $9 million would come in the form of contributions from other Big 12 member schools.

In that proposed scenario, WVU's $11 million payment would cover three things: The Big East's $5 million exit fee, Boise State's $5 million buyout fee, and $1 million to match what each Big 12 school is paying.

That would raise the total value of the settlement to $20 million.

A source also said Thursday afternoon Big East executives had approved WVU's proposal to resolve the case, as lawyers worked to hash out the final details of the resolution.

Under the conditional agreement, the Big East will now take the money WVU was offering to find a replacement and use it however it chooses.

Boise State's president said last week it was too late for his school to join.

The Broncos may still join in time for 2012, or it may indeed be too late. Either way, the source said that decision is no longer attached to the Mountaineers.

The settlement agreement, which is expected to be announced soon, will put an end to the two-state legal feud WVU and the Big East have been waging since November.

Attorneys for both the Big East and WVU met with Rhode Island Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein Thursday morning for a previously scheduled status conference in the case.

Status conferences are a more informal proceeding where attorneys brief the judge on how the case is proceeding and any talks the two parties have had ahead of a trial.

Following the conference, Silverstein ordered the case be continued to an "unspecified date" for another status conference.

Until both WVU and the Big East present a final proposed settlement in writing to the judge, the court operates under the belief that the case will go to trial.

"The Rhode Island case continues on a path toward trial, though Judge Silverstein is certainly open to news of a settlement if that happens in the interim," court administrator Craig Berke said in a statement Thursday morning.

Setting an "unspecified date" for the next hearing could allow more flexibility in scheduling a final hearing to resolve the case should a settlement be reached quickly.

Another sign a settlement could be near came late Thursday afternoon when Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt confirmed to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that the Big 12's 2012 conference football schedule -- which includes WVU -- will be released Friday.

WVU Athletic Director Oliver Luck and University President Jim Clements did not return requests for comment late Thursday.

[WoVeU]

I'm excited!

I have to get my fat butt moving to see if I can get tickets to UT, OU, OSU, TTech, or Baylor.

[billybud]

I guess that there will be more payouts from WVU...to FSU for the game cancellation.

[wvjohn]

I don't know, but we will see in the future; They can get another team from the Big East to replace the one WVU cancelled with no problem all need to pick another up since they will be one short now.

[billybud]

FSU has contacted Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and over 20 other programs with no luck yet.

It is an FSU home game that WVU cancelled and not many teams want to come to Tallahassee and play FSU next year in a one and done game.

[Spence]

FSU has contacted Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and over 20 other programs with no luck yet.

It is an FSU home game that WVU cancelled and not many teams want to come to Tallahassee and play FSU next year in a one and done game.

Getting a one and done contract isn't going to be easy, but if they make it a home and home with the return happening down the road, it can work. Ohio State did something like that with Washington. The games were 10 years apart.

[billybud]

Oh..they are trying.

Because of the unsettled feeling about conferences, expansion, the end of BCS, etc...it seems that long term planning is not awfully popular.

As an example...no one really knows when Pitt and Cuse come on line in the ACC although 2014 is assumed...it could end up being 2013. And the ACC will move to a nine conference game format. Five conference road games every other year.

[Spence]

The conference volatility is causing lots of problems.

[wvjohn]

As an example...no one really knows when Pitt and Cuse come on line in the ACC although 2014 is assumed...it could end up being 2013. And the ACC will move to a nine conference game format. Five conference road games every other year.

Pitt and Cuse might be in the ACC 2013 BE is talking to the schools now bout leaving in 2013.

Big East could let Pitt, Syracuse out for '13
February, 15, 2012
Feb 15
11:15 AM By Andrea Adelson

While it appears all but guaranteed that Pitt and Syracuse will remain in the Big East for the upcoming season, the door is open for the two schools to leave for the ACC in 2013.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto told the Associated Press he "would not be open to a conversation" with either school about departing in 2012. "But given the strength and speed of our expansion efforts, I think our board might be open to a discussion about 2013."

When Pitt and Syracuse announced they would leave for the ACC back in September, they said they would wait the required 27 months and leave for the 2014 season. But with West Virginia departing early, and new additions set to replenish the Big East for the 2013 season, there is reason to believe in the softened stance Marinatto is taking.

As for the major scheduling concerns for 2012, Marinatto didn't rule out the possibility of an incoming member joining a year early. UCF has reportedly said it is not leaving early, and Boise State president Bob Kustra said last week it was "too late" to join for 2012.

"There are challenges on the table right now," he said. "We've considered all of that. We're looking at various scenarios in order to address that. We have plans in place to deal with each possibility."

[billybud]

It is this year that is problematic for FSU after the WVU short notice dump...

FSU has now contacted 31 BCS programs and 23 FCS programs trying to find an opponent. It has gone from trying to find a decent opponent to trying to find anyone according to the Asst. AD.

The loss of WVU in OOC (with Florida and USF left in OOC) will hurt FSU's SOS some....FSU is being cordial but they ain't happy. It will cost more than the $500,000 that WVU will pay to bring in a team.

[Spence]

Have em take a bye and play Hawaii at the end of the season.

[billybud]

Hawaii doesn't want to travel all of the way to Florida for an FSU home game.

FSU could travel all the way to Hawaii...but it is a home game that is needed.

[billybud]

The end of the season is scheduled with the annual Florida game and then the spot held open for the ACC CG.