BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The Mountain East Conference announced Monday, along with Spilman Thomas and Battle law firm, that they received a favorable ruling regarding the withdrawal of a former member university.
The former member university has been ordered to pay the MEC an exit fee for leaving the conference. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of West Virginia.
“While we strongly believe this issue should not have required legal action, this is the appropriate and just outcome we have hoped for since 2020,” said Reid Amos, Commissioner of the MEC. “I greatly appreciate our member Presidents who serve on our MEC Board of Directors for their consistent support regarding our commitment to achieving this result.”
The conference said it’s not only a win for the MEC, but the ruling also has broader implications for college and university athletics.
“This ruling reinforces the notion that the constitutions and bylaws of athletic conferences that include an exit fee are enforceable contractual agreements between the conference and its members,” said Michael S. Garrison, who led the Spilman litigation team. “This is a significant win for the MEC and its member institutions.”