Washington State University and Oregon State University filed a complaint against the Pac-12 and its commissioner George Kliavkoff on Friday, in an effort to assert control over the now-uncertain future of the conference.
Ten of the conference’s 12 members have announced their intention to leave the Pac-12 in recent weeks. In WSU and OSU’s complaint, they say that departing members should not be allowed to vote on matters like distributing the conference’s remaining assets, or dissolving the Pac-12 entirely.
The conference reportedly had an estimated $42.7 million in net assets at the end of 2022, along with tens of millions in additional revenue from the Pac-12 Network. Theoretically, the 10 departing members could vote to distribute those assets in a board of directors meeting scheduled for Sept. 13.
The complaint filed by WSU and OSU asks a judge to stop the departing members and Pac-12 commissioner “from transacting any business or affairs” related to the Pac-12 as part of any board of directors vote from the 10 departing schools.
“Members who have delivered notice of withdrawal from the Pac-12 Conference, and expressed their intention to join competing conferences, are conflicted and can no longer be expected to act in the best interest of the Pac-12 Conference,” the complaint reads.