▁ 1 2 ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁conference ▁formally ▁invited ▁West ▁Virginia ▁to ▁join . ▁The ▁university ▁accepted ▁the ▁inv itation ▁the ▁same ▁day , ▁and ▁also ▁became ▁a ▁full ▁member ▁effective ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁The ▁conference ' s ▁press ▁release ▁also ▁hint ed ▁at ▁Missouri ' s ▁im min ent ▁departure , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁listed ▁among ▁the ▁" expected " ▁ten ▁members ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 – 1 3 ▁school ▁year . ▁ ▁N ine ▁days ▁later , ▁on ▁November ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁SE C ▁officially ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁added ▁Missouri ▁as ▁its ▁ 1 4 th ▁member . ▁ ▁Later ▁develop ments ▁ ▁West ▁Virginia ' s ▁entry ▁into ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ▁was ▁held ▁up ▁by ▁a ▁legal ▁dispute ▁between ▁the ▁school ▁and ▁the ▁Big ▁East ▁Conference , ▁which ▁sought ▁to ▁en force ▁a ▁ 2 7 - month ▁waiting ▁period ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁league ' s ▁byla ws . ▁The ▁dispute ▁was ▁settled ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁with ▁the ▁Big ▁ 1 2 ▁and ▁W V U ▁pay ing ▁a ▁combined ▁$ 2 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁move ▁for ▁the ▁conference ▁was ▁to ▁attempt ▁to ▁find ▁stability ▁in ▁an ▁upgrad ed ▁TV ▁deal . ▁Before ▁the ▁real