Pac-12 Sues Mountain West Conference Over ‘Poaching Penalty’ (1)

The Pac-12 conference filed an antitrust suit Tuesday against the Mountain West Conference, accusing the MWC of saddling it with a financial penalty that limits its ability to recruit and accept new member schools.

The Mountain West allegedly forced the Pac-12 to accept an unprecedented “poaching penalty” designed to limit inter-conference school-switching for years, according to a complaint filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

The lawsuit offers a glimpse into the intense competition for member schools as collegiate athletic conferences realign. It also comes as the Pac-12, along with several other conferences and the ...