The Big 12 filed a federal lawsuit Monday in the Northern District of Texas seeking both a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief to allow the league the authority to use its bylaws to potentially punish Sorsby.
The filing seeks: “A declaratory judgment that the First Amendment protects the Conference’s right to invoke its authority under its Bylaws to sanction [Texas Tech] related to its handling of the sports betting activity discussed in this Complaint, including if TTU fields a student-athlete in Big 12 competitions who has engaged in collegiate sports betting activity.”
The move is a legal counter to a letter from the Texas Attorney General last week, which warned that any sanctions imposed by the Big 12 would be “unlawful” and countered by legal action. The Texas AG, Kenneth Paxton, is listed as a defendant, along with the chancellor, president and athletic director of Texas Tech.