ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

Judge rules for Oregon State and Washington State vs. departing Pac-12 schools

Sep 11, 2023, 1:29 PM

An overhead view of the PAC 12 logo on the field during the second half of a game between the Orego...

An overhead view of the PAC 12 logo on the field during the second half of a game between the Oregon Ducks and the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium on September 2, 2023 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)

(Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)

A judge granted a request by Oregon State and Washington State for a temporary restraining order on Monday to prevent departing Pac-12 members from meeting until it can be determined who has the right to make up the disintegrating conference’s board of directors.

At a hearing in Whitman County Superior Court in Washington, Judge Gary Libey ruled that a meeting scheduled for later this week with conference commissioner George Kliavkoff and university leaders from 10 departing members cannot take place.

Oregon State and Washington State want full control over decision making for the conference as the only schools committed to the conference beyond the current school year. The schools filed the breach of bylaws complaint Friday.

Leaders of the Pacific Northwest schools have stated they would like to rebuild the Pac-12, taking control of its assets and intellectual property while preserving its brand. They say they fear the outgoing schools will try to dissolve the conference and divvy up its assets.

Oregon State and Washington State contend that eight schools —- Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Stanford and California — forfeited their right to be on the board when they announced their intentions to join other conferences next year. USC and UCLA were stripped of voting rights by the Pac-12 in 2022 when they decided to join the Big Ten.

The departing schools dispute what constitutes formal notification of departure from the conference.

An attorney for the Pac-12, Mark Lambert, said there is still conference business to attend to for the remainder of this season, including the retention of nearly 200 employees.

Libey did allow for the conference to continue to conduct day-to-day business as usual, and granted Lambert’s request to permit the league office to take actions that are agreed upon by unanimous vote of the 10 members that currently make up the board.

Lambert said Kliavkoff and the conference office are caught in the middle of a conflict between Oregon State and Washington State and the eight schools that have most recently announced they are leaving.

“Each are highly suspicious of the other,” Lambert said.

There were no attorneys for any of the departing schools present for the hearing in a courtroom not far from Washington State’s Pullman campus.

Arizona State Football

Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports...

Stephen Gugliociello

Cardinals brass at ASU vs. USC game to potentially scout Trojans’ QB Caleb Williams

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was in attendance pregame for the game in Tempe, but he was seen on the Trojans' sideline.

3 hours ago

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talks with his son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders during the fir...

Associated Press

‘Prime’ meat: No. 19 Colorado hammered by No. 10 Oregon at Autzen

Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes and No. 10 Oregon emphatically routing coach Deion Sanders' No. 19 Colorado 42-6 on Saturday.

4 hours ago

Dan Lanning...

Haboob Blog

Wins over clicks: Oregon’s Dan Lanning goes viral for speech vs. Colorado, Deion Sanders

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning blasted Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes in his pregame speech, and the Ducks jumped out to a huge lead.

6 hours ago

Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes, Big 12...

Wills Rice

‘Lamborghini Prime:’ Deion Sanders given parking ticket by CU campus police

No one is safe. Colorado royalty Deion Sanders and his white Lamborghini were given a parking ticket from campus police.

14 hours ago

ASU QB Drew Pyne (Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports)...

Wills Rice

ASU-USC preview: Sun Devils quarterback Drew Pyne to start vs. No. 5 Trojans

Arizona State will start QB Drew Pyne under center as the team tries to upset likely No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and No. 5 USC.

2 days ago

Deion Sanders...

Associated Press

Pac-12 lookahead: Colorado takes on Oregon at Autzen in battle of the unbeatens

The Pac-12 has three Top 25 matchups in the same week for the first time. No. 19 Colorado at No. 10 Oregon tops the bill.

2 days ago

Judge rules for Oregon State and Washington State vs. departing Pac-12 schools