By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
RUSTON – The Brian Kelly vs. LSU legal battle is higher stakes, but the lawsuit Conference USA has filed attacking Louisiana Tech could have million-dollar implications.
CUSA has filed a public records suit against the University of Louisiana System, the governing agency for Louisiana Tech, Daniel Libit of Sportico.com reported Tuesday. The move accuses Tech of withholding documents on its 2026 exit to join the Sun Belt Conference, in an effort to collect its annual share of revenue from CUSA.
CUSA’s suit claims deception by Tech to shroud documents that “would undercut the school’s claim to its latest multi-million dollar annual distribution” – believed to be in the range of $5.2 million — received from the conference on June 27.
Tech formally served notice on July 14 it was leaving to join the Sun Belt – a move that was widely speculated and reported over the past six weeks. The officlal Sun Belt invitation was stalled while SBC member Texas State got in position to accept an invitation to join the Pac 12, which finally happened at the end of June.
Some Sun Belt member schools, particularly those in the eastern time zone, were reluctant to invite Tech, and conference leaders needed time before convincing the remaining SBC members that the Ruston institution was the best replacement. But CUSA’s suit claims Tech was poised to leave weeks earlier.
“The fact that Louisiana Tech apparently delayed its notice to CUSA of its intention to leave the conference until July 14, 2025, even though it had already decided to leave sometime before May 27, 2025, resulted in Louisiana Tech improperly receiving a distribution from CUSA as a full member on June 27, 2025,” asserts the CUSA lawsuit.
CUSA’s suit says the notification violated league bylaws that require member to officially state its intention to depart at least 14 months in advance – which CUSA claims would have forced Tech to forfeit the annual distribution of conference revenues based on another bylaw that prohibits departing members from getting a share for two years after they’ve signaled intent to leave.
The suit says Tech wanted to “have its cake and eat it too” and cites a May 27 letter from the university’s president, Jim Henderson, to the ULS board, addressing the interest in the Sun Belt.
CUSA filed a public records request related to Tech’s departure last month and the gloves came off when it officially sued ULS on Nov. 5.
The university released a statement barking back at CUSA.
“We have provided full transparency to CUSA throughout our exit negotiations in written and verbal communications with conference leadership. We fully complied with the public records request.
“The conference movements during the first half of July played out publicly. CUSA seems to be clinging to specious conspiracy theories of their own making. CUSA could have easily made an additional request for clarification instead of wasting the court’s time and its members’ resources.
“We look forward to continuing our negotiations, as this conference move will greatly improve the health and well-being of our student-athletes, a priority dear to everyone trusted to lead in this ever-changing environment of college athletics,” said Tech’s statement made Tuesday.
A Nov. 19 show-cause hearing is scheduled in Louisiana state court.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com