The Mountain West Conference is seeking mediation in the case the Pac-12 filed against it in an attempt to avoid paying $55 million in “poaching” fees for bringing five Mountain West teams into its own league.

According to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, the Pac-12, Mountain West and Boise State, Colorado State and Utah State have all agreed to begin mediation over two ongoing lawsuits surrounding exit fees and poaching penalties the MWC believes it is owed.

Mountain West and three schools moving from one to the other are in a legal standoff that has massive financial stakes for the futures of the conferences.

Yes, the Wolf Pack has a respectable 16-12 overall record and is 8-9 in the Mountain West. That's all well and good, fine and acceptable on an everybody-gets-a-juice-box-and-a-trophy-after-the-season sort of way. Four games over .500, to be sure, is certainly no reason to start firing anyone.

The Mountain West and Pac-12, along with Boise State, Colorado State and Utah State, have agreed to enter mediation in hopes of settling ongoing lawsuits related to school exit fees and a poaching penalty included in a football scheduling agreement.

The neighboring conferences are in the market for media contracts that would start in the summer of 2026. What can they expect based on TV viewership?

The Mountain West is exploring mediation to resolve ongoing lawsuits with the Pac-12 and three departing schools over poaching penalties and exit fees, accordin