WVU sues Big East with goal of leaving early for Big 12
West Virginia filed a lawsuit Monday to leave the Big East conference early for the Big 12 conference.
On Friday, the Big 12 announced the acceptance of the Mountaineers in time for the 2012-13 athletic season, with the move taking place effective July 1, 2012. To comply with Big East bylaws, though, West Virginia is required to wait 27 months before making the jump to the Big 12.
WVU claims it should not have to wait the 27 months in a 14-page lawsuit filed in Monongalia County Circuit Court in West Virginia, blaming Big East Commissioner John Marinatto for the instability of the conference.
In the suit, West Virginia said Marinatto breached the interests of the Big East’s six remaining football schools following the departures of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Texas Christian by failing to take action to maintain the level of competition of Big East football. With eight non-football playing members, the lawsuit said Marinatto ignored the interests of the football schools.
‘The Commissioner did nothing to protect the football playing schools and in fact took measures to further protect and advance the interests of the non-football playing schools,’ West Virginia said in the lawsuit.
Marinatto has made it clear that the conference intends to hold Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the 27-month waiting period since they left for the Atlantic Coast Conference. And in a statement issued Monday night, his stance on West Virginia is no different despite its intentions to leave early.
‘We are disappointed that West Virginia has adopted this strategy and cannot imagine why it believes it does not have to respect and honor the bylaws it agreed to as a member of the Big East,’ Marinatto said. ‘Based on an initial review of the lawsuit, it is clear that the allegations and claims in it are false and inaccurate. Certainly there is nothing in it that would justify WVU’s not fulfilling its obligations. To put it simply, a contract is a contract.’
West Virginia said in the lawsuit that the Big East is also no longer a viable and competitive football conference due to its lack of leadership, its breach of fiduciary duties and the voting disparity between football and non-football schools.
West Virginia also said ‘upon information and belief’ it expects the Big East to lose its status as Bowl Championship Series automatic-qualifying conference.
‘The lack of leadership, breach of fiduciary duties by the Big East and its Commissioner, and voting disparity between the football and non-football schools resulted in the Big East football conference no longer being a viable and competitive football conference,’ according to the lawsuit.
‘Accordingly, the Big East conference and its Commissioner, through their actions, breached their contract with WVU and nullified and voided the Bylaws.’
—Sports editor Michael Cohen contributed reporting to this article.
Published on October 31, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Contact Ryne: rjgery@syr.edu
