Southeastern Conference schools will face stiffer penalties next season if they allow fans onto the football field after a game.
SEC officials announced new guidelines Thursday, which state that the school of origin will have to pay a $100,000 fine after the first violation. It will cost the home school $250,000 the second time fans storm the field and $500,000 for subsequent violations.
All SEC schools will enter the 2023 football season violation-free.
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Tennessee Volunteers fans run across the field after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on October 15, 2022. (Donald’s page/fake images)
According to the SEC, field assault occurs «when the visiting team and/or game officials are still on the playing surface.»
However, schools will have the option of implementing a policy that allows fans onto the field after all members of the opposing team have exited.
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Each school will also need to create a safety contingency plan in an effort to prevent rushing onto the field. In addition to the new security measures, academic institutions will also need to put in place a communication plan that deters fans from storming the playing surface.
Information communicated to fans should include details about the penalties an individual would face if they violated the policy.
Tennessee Volunteers fans tear down the goal post while celebrating a win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on October 15, 2022. (Donald’s page/fake images)
Last season, the LSU Tigers were fined $250,000 twice. Fans stormed the field after LSU defeated Ole Miss, and a few weeks later, Tigers fans took to the field after an overtime win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The SEC created a task force made up of athletic directors, event management directors and campus security personnel tasked with investigating field racing.
Fans run onto the field to celebrate the Texas A&M Aggies’ victory over the LSU Tigers at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas on November 26, 2022. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
Conference officials based the changes on the group’s findings.
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«The SEC’s Event Security Task Force will focus its efforts on reviewing existing policies, developing new strategies, and identifying best practices to improve crowd management and more effectively address field and court incursions in Future SEC Sporting Events». SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said last fall.