According to a person familiar with the situation, San Diego State University (SDSU) has sent a letter to the Mountain West conference inquiring about a potential exit next year. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
SDSU is reportedly seeking an extension of the deadline to formally notify the conference of its departure, in order to avoid paying double the exit fee. The university is interested in joining either the Pac-12 or the Big 12, although it has not received a formal invitation. SDSU has been a member of the Mountain West since its establishment in 1999 and is conducting due diligence to be prepared for a decision if it receives an invitation to switch conferences.
The reports of SDSU’s possible move to the Pac-12 gained traction after Southern California and UCLA announced last summer that they would be joining the Big Ten in August 2024. However, the Pac-12 is not expected to announce any expansion plans until it finalizes a TV contract, which is anticipated to occur sometime in the summer.
The main issue revolves around the timing of SDSU’s notice to leave. If the university waits until after June 30, its exit fee would increase from approximately $16.5 million to nearly $34 million, as per the reports.
