On Thursday, WAC commissioner Karl Benson announced that his conference had filed a lawsuit in an effort to keep Nevada and Fresno State from leaving for the Mountain West before June 30 of 2012.
Three days later, the smell of détente seems to be wafting in the air.
According to a joint press release issued by the schools, it appears that discussions are in the infancy stage between the institutions and the WAC; what those discussions specifically entail, however, remain a mystery to outside interests.
“The parties have initiated communication,” the statement read. “We are hopeful that there will be a collegial resolution. We will refrain from commenting about any negotiations while we work through the issues.”
Based on Benson’s comments earlier in the week, the words “communication” and “resolution” appearing in the same statement seem a bit odd; in announcing the lawsuit, the commissioner flatly stated that there would be no negotiations regarding an early-exit buyout for either school.
Both Nevada and Fresno State have informed the conference in writing that they have every intention of leaving for the MWC in time for the 2011-2012 school year. The lawsuit was filed in response to that timeline, Benson indicated, because “the damages the WAC could incur if Fresno State and Nevada left early are very, very significant.”
Part of the renewed talks could also involve the $5 million apiece penalty the schools are facing for breaking a June agreement to remain in the WAC through June 30, 2016.