by Malcolm Butler
It’s officially official.
After months of legal chess, it’s finally over without ever going to court.
Conference USA sent out a statement at 4:40 p.m. today stating that the two sides have come to a resolution, the first sign of the I’s dotted and T’s crossed.
“Conference USA is pleased to have reached a positive resolution with Louisiana Tech that fully acknowledges our governing documents,” said the two sentence statement from the league. “We look forward to continued success and impact in the national landscape, driven by the collective strength and shared vision of our 10 member institutions.”
Although plenty of reports have surfaced over the last two weeks that the two sides (ULS/LA Tech vs. CUSA) had reached some sort of financial agreement, today’s statement seems to put a final nail in the proverbial separation coffin.
“We’ve reached a fair and equitable agreement with Conference USA, our partner for 13 years,” said a statement released by Louisiana Tech. “The move to the Sun Belt Conference in July is one that will benefit the health and well-being of our student athletes, the fiscal stability of our athletics department, and the economic vitality of our entire region. Our Bulldogs and Lady Techsters look forward to renewing rivalries with the Ragin Cajuns, Warhawks, Golden Eagles, and all of the Sun Belt members. Go Dogs!”
After months of no progress in an agreement to reach a financial settlement, the ULS filed a lawsuit on behalf of Louisiana Tech in early March. The two sides legal teams went back and forth over the last few months without ever going to court, although a number of legal documents filed in both district and federal courts.
Louisiana Tech Executive Vice President for External Affairs said that the financial terms of the agreement are “confidential.”
A third-party outside media outlet announced a few weeks ago that the two sides had agreed to a final price of roughly $8 million. However, based on historical precent, that number seems high.
Tech AD Ryan Ivey said that he is glad to move forward with eyes set on July 1.
“We are excited about the opportunity to be in the Sun Belt,” said Tech AD Ryan Ivey. “It gives us the momentum we need to help our department and student athletes and the future of LA Tech Athletics.”
