The Pac-12 Conference, represented by Keker, Van Nest & Peters, and the Mountain West Conference have reached an agreement in principle to resolve federal litigation over $55 million in “poaching” fees tied to the departure of five Mountain West schools to the Pac-12, Law360 and The Daily Journal reported.
The parties informed the court of a pending settlement, prompting U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen to vacate a scheduled hearing and stay related litigation while the agreement is finalized.
The dispute began in September 2024, when the Pac-12 filed an antitrust lawsuit challenging fee provisions in a scheduling agreement between the conferences. After Boise State, Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State, and Colorado State announced plans to join the Pac-12, the Mountain West sought to enforce provisions requiring substantial payments if the Pac-12 recruited only certain member schools.
The settlement follows a series of favorable rulings for the Pac-12, including decisions allowing most of its antitrust claims to proceed and dismissing the Mountain West’s promissory fraud counterclaim.
The Keker team includes attorneys Eric MacMichael, Nick Goldberg, Anjali Srinivasan, and Franco Muzzio.
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