San Diego State University (SDSU) has reportedly sent a letter to the Mountain West conference expressing interest in potentially leaving the conference next year. The information was provided by an anonymous source familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press.
SDSU is said to be seeking an extension of the deadline to provide formal notice of its departure from the Mountain West in order to avoid paying double the exit fee. The university has aspirations of joining either the Pac-12 or the Big 12 conference, although it has not yet received a formal invitation. The anonymous source stated that SDSU is conducting due diligence and preparing to make a decision if an invitation to switch conferences is extended.
Reports suggest that SDSU sent the letter to the Mountain West on Tuesday, as first reported by ESPN. Speculation about SDSU’s potential move to the Pac-12 gained traction after the announcements of Southern California and UCLA’s plans to join the Big Ten in August 2024.
However, the Pac-12 is not expected to announce any expansion plans until it finalizes a new TV contract, which is anticipated to occur sometime during the summer.
The primary concern for SDSU appears to be the timing of providing notice for its departure. If the university waits until after June 30 to submit its notice, the exit fee could increase from approximately $16.5 million to nearly $34 million, according to reports.
