Front Office Sports: Colorado State, Utah State File Lawsuit Against Mountain West Over Exit Fees

O’Melveny has filed a lawsuit against the Mountain West Conference on behalf of Colorado State University and Utah State University. The complaint was filed on December 16 in Colorado state court in response to the Conference’s extraordinary and illicit efforts to penalize Colorado State and Utah State—as well as Boise State University, Fresno State University, and San Diego State University—for the five members’ announced intent to leave the Mountain West and join the Pac-12 Conference in 2026. “The conference and its commissioner, Gloria Nevarez, willfully disregarded conference bylaws and governance procedures and have threatened to withhold tens of millions of dollars—including this season’s College Football Playoff revenues and post-season travel cost reimbursement—from the members,” said O'Melveny partner and Litigation Department co-chair Steve Olson. In addition to Olson, the O’Melveny team representing Colorado State University and Utah State University includes litigation partners Matt Cowan and Tim Heafner.

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