Pitt To ACC: University Holding Firm On $5 Million Big East Exit Fee Payment ... For Now

Steve Pederson made a remark last week that Pitt would not pay more than the required $5 million to leave the Big East for the ACC. Yet it is being thrown out there that by not paying more, the university will likely not leave the Big East for the ACC until 2014.

Pederson, of course, is going to say that and he shouldn't say anything otherwise. And that should come as a surprise to no one.

Why publicly suggest that Pitt would be willing to pay more if it meant leaving a year earlier? The Big East brass isn't full of complete morons as we sometimes like to assume. They would jump on that and have Pitt pay something similar to what West Virginia paid.

I still fully expect Pitt and Syracuse to discuss exit terms with the Big East around this time next year. John Marinatto said that he and the Big East would be willing to listen to the two schools in regards to leaving for 2013. Steve Pederson's comment of "No more than $5 million" is a starting point that will allow the Big East and Pitt and Syracuse to negotiate towards a reasonable amount (much lower than the $20 million total that the conference received from WVU and the Big 12) and end this relationship peacefully.