(BCSNN) — The Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences are preparing for a legal showdown after mediation efforts failed to resolve a dispute over more than $150 million in exit fees and “poaching penalties” tied to the Pac-12's... well, poaching of five Mountain West schools. The two leagues jointly filed for a hearing on Sept. 9 in U.S. District Court, marking the latest escalation in a conflict that has simmered since last fall.

The dispute centers on the departures of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State from the Mountain West to join the restructured Pac-12 beginning in 2026. The Mountain West claims the Pac-12 violated a football scheduling agreement signed in late 2023, which included a clause requiring a $10 million fee for the first school added and $500,000 for each additional member. The total “poaching” fees sought by the MW amount to $55 million.

In addition to the penalties levied against the Pac-12, the Mountain West is seeking exit fees from the departing schools, estimated at $18–19 million per institution. Colorado State, Utah State and Boise State have filed separate lawsuits challenging those fees, arguing that the terms are excessive and unenforceable under current NCAA governance standards.

The failed mediation, initiated by the Mountain West on May 19, was seen as a last-ditch effort to avoid prolonged litigation. In a joint statement, the Pac-12 said it had “engaged in the process in good faith,” but the talks “did not result in a resolution.” The conference reiterated its position that the penalties are “unlawful and intended to obstruct our ability to act in the best interests of our student-athletes and member institutions”.

Mountain West officials, however, maintain that the Pac-12 knowingly agreed to the terms of the scheduling agreement and is now attempting to sidestep its obligations. “The Mountain West provided the Pac-12 institutions with a lifeline,” the league said in a statement, referencing its role in helping Oregon State and Washington State construct full football schedules for the 2024 season. “We will aggressively protect the interests of our member institutions”.

The five departing schools formally submitted their resignations before the June 1 deadline, avoiding a doubling of exit fees. They will remain in the Mountain West through the 2025–26 academic year, after which they will join the Pac-12 alongside Gonzaga and Texas State, the latter of which was added last month to meet the NCAA’s eight-member minimum for FBS conferences.

With mediation now off the table, the Sept. 9 hearing will determine whether the Mountain West’s motion to dismiss the Pac-12’s lawsuit will proceed. If the motion is denied, full court proceedings could begin as early as October. The outcome will likely shape future conference realignment strategies and set precedent for how inter-conference agreements are enforced.

In the meantime, both conferences are bracing for a contentious legal battle. The Mountain West has already earmarked potential distributions from collected fees to its remaining members, while the Pac-12 continues to position itself as a revitalized entity in the western collegiate landscape. As Commissioner Gloria Nevarez prepares to address the issue at MW Media Days this week, the stakes for both leagues have never been higher.