The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) has filed a lawsuit against Utah Valley University (UVU), alleging the school failed to pay a contractually required $1 million exit fee as it prepares to leave the conference for the Big West.
According to ESPN college sports reporter Pete Thamel, the lawsuit was filed on February 2, 2026, in district court in Tarrant County, Texas. The WAC claims that Utah Valley refused to comply with conference bylaws governing member departures, resulting in significant competitive and media-related consequences for the university.
Thamel reported that the lawsuit states UVU “did not comply and failed to make the required exit fee payment,” which rendered the university “a member institution not in good standing.” As a result, the WAC asserts that UVU is not permitted to participate in conference championship events, NCAA championship events, or appear on conference-sponsored television, radio, or other media packages while the matter remains unresolved (Pete Thamel, ESPN, Feb. 3, 2026).
The dispute stems from UVU’s planned move to the Big West Conference, which is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. The lawsuit alleges that UVU’s president formally notified the WAC in writing on January 22, 2026, that the university “will not pay an exit fee.”
In response, the WAC commissioner sent a letter on January 30, 2026, reiterating the conference’s bylaws and warning that failure to comply would result in UVU being declared not in good standing—language that now appears prominently in the legal filing.
“The WAC has been consistent, upfront, and open with UVU and has attempted to avoid this dispute,” the lawsuit states, according to documents shared by Thamel. “Unfortunately, UVU preferred to elevate this dispute and refused to comply with contractual obligations as expressly agreed to and as set forth in the bylaws.”
The WAC is seeking enforcement of the $1,000,000 exit fee and associated remedies through the court system. Utah Valley University has not publicly responded to the lawsuit as of Tuesday afternoon.
This is an ongoing story and will be updated with future information.
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