West Virginia to the Big East: How Will This Lawsuit Play out When It's Over?

Conference realignment has been one of the hot-button topics this season in college football, but one of the most painful breakups has still yet to be resolved. West Virginia has said it wants to join the Big 12 for next season, but the Big East has not budged on its 27-month waiting period to let teams out of the conference.

The dispute has led to multiple lawsuits, and the most recent move was the Big East asking a Rhode Island judge for a preliminary injunction ordering WVU to remain in the conference until the 27 months are up.

This comes on the heels of the denial of the Big East’s motion to dismiss West Virginia’s countersuit in West Virginia’s Monongalia County.

Should this case go to trial, one is set for June 25, 2012; the Mountaineers want to be members of the Big 12 by July 1, 2012. Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, Southern Methodist and Central Florida are set to join the Big East in 2013, not 2012.

I’m by no means a legal expert, but it would seem as though the conference has the upper hand legally. West Virginia voted to reaffirm the Big East bylaws on October 17th, after Pitt, Syracuse and TCU had already stated they would be leaving for the ACC and Big 12, and filed suit against the conference just two weeks later.

Should WVU leave, the Big East stands to lose a consider amount of money from television contracts, as well as from the rescheduling that would need to take place.

That seems like an entirely reasonable claim, especially when you consider that Pitt and Syracuse would also want out if West Virginia was granted an early release. TCU does not have to wait because it never played any games in the Big East.

Hopefully, this process doesn’t become any uglier than it already is, but don’t be surprised when the Big East comes out of this victorious.