The Big East Conference announced this morning that the Board of Directors has voted to terminate West Virginia's membership in the conference effective June 30, 2012.
This is, of course, just a legal way of saying "You can't quit! YOU'RE FIRED!"
With their Big East membership ended, West Virginia is free and clear to join the Big 12 starting this fall, because when you can trade road trips to Tampa, Louisville, and Cincinnati for trips to Ames, Lubbock, and Lawrence, you make that deal.
There are a few matters that need to be cleared up, of course. West Virginia has to move to have its lawsuit against the Big East dropped while admitting that the Big East's bylaws are enforceable and they have to pay what is believed to be well more than the reported $20 million exit fee required in the bylaws.
There are two last bits of interest here. The first is that this probably paves the way for Syracuse and Pittsburgh to depart for the ACC in the summer of 2013 as opposed to 2014 as otherwise required by the 27 month waiting period outlined in the conference bylaws. The second is that this leaves the Big East with just 7 football teams for the 2012 season. It has been rumored that Boise State will be making an immediate move to join the Big East instead of waiting until 2013 as previously announced, but nothing is official in that regard. It would make sense that the Big East wouldn't move to eliminate West Virginia without having a plan in place, but what part of all of this really makes any sense?