Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is in a position to propose that Ohio State University officials sue for damages that oppose Big Ten and member schools that voted against football this fall.
A team of state attorneys reading Ohio state contracts with the Big Ten would possibly be required in a lawsuit for a “big tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue,” Yost told The Dispatch.
Yost, a Republican, said he had not yet discussed filing a imaginable lawsuit against the Big Ten and some of his schools with Ohio state officials as convention discussions continue about the time, and yes, playing football in the middle of COVID-19. Pandemic.
“We have a cause of action” for breach of contracts between the Big Ten and the state of Ohio and for illegal interference in an advertising relationship, Yost said.
“If those negotiations (in football practice) fail, we will file legal action with our client, Ohio State University,” he said, adding that he felt the Big Ten did not have the legal authority to cancel or delay football. Season.
Big Ten presidents and chancellors voted 11-3 not to play football because of the coronavirus pandemic, and only Ohio State, Iowa, and Nebraska voted to play despite the COVID pandemic.
Yost, a graduate of the state of Ohio, said he had asked his lawyers to “prepare a case, so if negotiations fail and the season is canceled, we are in a position to make a presentation to the board (of directors) and the administration.
OSU administration officials asked for feedback Wednesday night. When asked about his comments on Yost’s statements, OSU Director Gene Smith responded in one word: “Nothing. “
A Big Ten resolution to start playing football would later cancel discussions at a trial, Yost said, expressed doubts about the conference’s legal ability to cancel non-conference games.
When asked about the option to file a lawsuit against the Mid-American Conference for the cancellation of the football season, Yost said it would be tested if the member has an explicit interest.
Ohio Public universities in Ohio, Toledo, Akron, Bowling Green, Kent State and Miami play on the MAC. They also play games opposed to the conflicting matches of the Big Ten and depend on the share of the winnings of those matches.
Reporter Bill Rabinowitz contributed to this story.