USATSI
Oregon State and Washington State have reached an agreement with the departing 10 Pac-12 schools to end their legal battle. While full details of the truce are still being finalized, the agreement ends what has been a contentious conflict that has played out across multiple months and courts.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement in principle that ends litigation,” all 12 members schools said in a joint statement.
Oregon State president Jayathi Murthy and Washington State president Kirk Schulz told ESPN that the departing members have agreed to “forfeit a portion of distributions” during the 2023-24 school year and “provide specific guarantees” against potential upcoming liabilities that the conference could encounter. The “Pac-2” is also guaranteed the rights to all existing assets and revenues heading forward.
“This agreement ensures that the future of the Pac-12 will be decided by the schools that are staying, not those that are leaving,” the presidents’ statement to ESPN reads. “We look forward to what the future holds for our universities, our student-athletes, the Pac-12 Conference and millions of fans.”
Washington State and Oregon State were given voting control of the Pac-12 on Dec. 15 after the Washington State Supreme Court declined to hear arguments. The decision to pass on the case affirmed a previous decision made in Whitman County (Washington) Court that Oregon State and Washington State should be the only two voting members of the Pac-12 board. The schools pointed to the precedent of USC and UCLA’s removal as voting members after declaring…
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