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Syracuse to leave Big East early, Pitt exit unclear
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Syracuse and the Big East announced Monday that they have come to terms on an agreement for Syracuse's departure from the conference, but Pitt's future remains up in the air.
Syracuse will pay the Big East $7.5 million to officially exit the conference July 1, 2013. Pitt filed a lawsuit in May seeking damages for several transactions the university had to make in its effort to leave the Big East.
"This closes a chapter and opens a new one filled with exciting possibilities for the Big East's future. With the recent addition of eight schools to the Big East, the future for the conference has never been brighter," Joe Bailey, the Big East's interim commissioner said in a statement.
The Big East has a 27-month waiting period for changing conference affiliation, but the conference said this spring it was open to the possibility of allowing Pitt and Syracuse to exit next summer. Pitt filed the lawsuit in an effort to ensure that will happen.
First Published July 16, 2012 12:10 pm
