Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost suggested Wednesday that Ohio State could move to sue the Big Ten. Credit: Sophia Tobias | For the Lantern
Ohio State may have another option to pursue if fall sports do not come back in 2020.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday that he is prepared to recommend that Ohio State file a lawsuit against the Big Ten, citing monetary damages following the decision to postpone the fall sports season. Yost said a team of state lawyers with knowledge of Ohio State’s contracts with the conference believe the university has an “excellent contract claim for several tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue.”
Yost said that a reversal of the Big Ten’s decision would eliminate momentum toward a lawsuit.
“If these negotiations fall apart, we will be recommending legal action to our client, Ohio State University,” Yost said in the interview.
Yost said that he has already directed his lawyers to begin to put together a case so that they are prepared for the event that the season is canceled so that they can present the case to the board of trustees.
A spokesperson from Yost’s office confirmed to The Lantern that Yost’s comments to the Dispatch were accurate.
Big Ten presidents and chancellors favored the postponement of the fall sports season in a vote of 11-3. Ohio State was among the three universities to vote against the decision.
Ohio State did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.
