The Empire Strikes Back

[Upstate]

McMurphyCBS Brett McMurphy

Big East filed suit against West Virginia in Superior Court in Rhode Island, seeking WVU to comply w/Big East bylaws

McMurphyCBS Brett McMurphy
Marinatto: "Today's legal action underscores Big East position it will vigorously pursue enforcement of its rights & WVU's obligations which WVU agreed and helped construct."

CFTalk CollegeFootballTalk

"We believe it's important to protect the integrity/interests of the BE/member institutions, & we're confident these interests will prevail"

CBS article:

When West Virginia held their teleconference to announce the move to the Big 12, the most popular question was how the Mountaineers planned to compete in their new conference in the 2012-2013 season with a 27-month withdrawal required by Big East bylaws.

At the time, West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck answered several times that "our people are working with their people to make that happen."

Apparently that did not work out well for the Mountaineers, with the school filing a lawsuit against the Big East earlier this week so it can join the Big 12.

After Commissioner John Marinatto issued his statement of disappointment, the Big East decided to take action themselves. On Friday, the conference announced they are pursuing legal action against West Virginia.

The conference filed a suit in the Superior Court for the State of Rhode Island, Providence County. It is described as a "breach of contract lawsuit" and seeks an order requiring West Virginia to comply with Big East bylaws. These bylaws include the 27 months for exit, as well as payment of the exit fee.

“Today’s legal action underscores the Big East Conference’s stated position that it will vigorously pursue the enforcement of its rights and West Virginia University’s obligations under the conference’s Bylaws which West Virginia formally agreed to and helped construct,” Marinatto said in the official release.

This action comes as no surprise, as the presidents of the Big East schools voted to hold exiting members to the 27-month requirement in an annual meeting on Tuesday. What comes next? A long and confusing legal battle over conference responsibilities. Nobody wins, except the lawyers.

 

[44PRIDE]

And silently, SU/Pitt continue to take the high road...

 

[javadoc]

"We believe it's important to protect the integrity/interests of the BE/member institutions, & we're confident these interests will prevail"

If you and your progenitors really believed this, your conference wouldn't be in this position right now. Were you on the stand, this would call for rebuttal.

 

[Upstate]

http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/201...ai.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Mengus22 Mark Ennis

Lawsuit claims that WVU's former president and legal counsel were the principal drafters of the 27-month waiting period provision.

Mengus22 Mark Ennis

The Big East bylaws already required $2.5 million payment upon withdrawal notice, so there's no way the BE would've interpreted WVU's payment as an acceptance of some other agreement to leave.

 

[orange79]

"Luck - I am your father"