Cost of rebuilding Pac-12 using Mountain West schools could exceed $50 million in fees

Oregon State Beavers vs. Washington State Cougars football

Oregon State and Washington State are paying the Mountain West $1.5 million for each home game against one of its conference schools for the 2024 and 2025 football seasons.AP

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If Oregon State and Washington State are to rebuild the Pac-12 using Mountain West schools before August 2, 2027, it could cost more than $50 million in fees.

In a copy of the Dec. 1 agreement between the two conferences obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, the Pac-12 may have to pay the Mountain West a withdrawal fee for every MWC school accepting an invitation to leave. The fee kicks in if the Pac-12 makes an invitation to join the conference and the school accepts before the two-year anniversary of the contract’s initial term expiration date of Aug. 1, 2025.

The withdrawal fee begins at $10 million for the first school. It rises by $500,000 for each school beyond that. For two schools, it would cost the Pac-12 $20.5 million. For four schools, $43 million. Six would cost $67.5 million. If the Pac-12 were to acquire 11 of the 12 MWC schools, the price tag is $137.5 million.

THE MOUNTAIN WEST-PAC-12 SCHEDULING AGREEMENT

In addition, a school leaving the Mountain West must pay a termination fee of $5.5 million.

The withdrawal and termination fees are waived if the entire 12-school Mountain West is accepted into the new Pac-12.

The agreement between the conferences calls for the Pac-12 to pay $23 million over two years to the Mountain West for football scheduling. It is broken down into three separate fees:

  • An administrative fee of $1 million each from Washington State and Oregon State, payable by Dec. 5, 2023.
  • A general participation fee of $3 million, which helps fund operations, that is paid in four $750,000 installments, with the final payment due April 15, 2025.
  • A payment of $1.5 million for each Oregon State and Washington State home game involved MWC school for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. It’s an aggregate of 12 home games – three each season for Oregon State and Washington State – totaling $18 million.

Other contract nuggets:

  • The contract can be extended for one year, adding the 2026 season, if the Pac-12 and MWC mutually agree by Sept. 1, 2024.
  • Previously scheduled games for 2025 – Fresno State at Oregon State and San Diego State at Washington State – are protected and not part of the six-game per season agreement.
  • Discipline is administered by each school’s respective conferences. The Mountain West is responsible for officiating, replay and other services for its home games, and Oregon State and Washington State for its home games.
  • The outset of the contract opens a negotiating period for the Mountain West to join the Pac-12. If invited, it would become effective for either the 2025-26 or 2026-27 athletic years.
  • There was a provision for a basketball agreement, but the Pac-12 has since arranged an affiliate membership with the West Coast Conference.

--Nick Daschel | @nickdaschel

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