The SEC is setting the penalty for rushing the field or court after a game is over at $500,000, eliminating the escalating fine system in the process. Commissioner Greg Sankey announced the move Thursday evening as the SEC spring meetings in Miramar Beach, Florida come to an end.
“The motivation was ‘field rushing is field rushing, the first time or the 18th time,'” Sankey said. “The random nature of, if you’re the one getting rushed, it doesn’t feel good. It might be the first time (it happened) there, but it might be your sixth time in a row, literally.”
Under the previous system, SEC schools were fined $100,000 for the first offense, $250,000 for the second offense and $500,000 for any violations of the rule thereafter. The SEC also now has the authority to waive a fine if the visiting team and game officials are allowed to return safely to their respective locker rooms before fans enter the playing area.
Though fans storming a football field or a basketball court to celebrate a big win is nothing new, it has seen an uptick in recent years. Ole Miss was fined $350,000 in 2024 when fans stormed the field after a win against Georgia. On top of the $250,000 price tag for a second offense, the Rebels incurred an extra $100,000 charge since fans initially entered the field before the game was over.
Vanderbilt reached the $500,000 mark after fans stormed the field after a football win against Alabama and then stormed the court in subsequent basketball victories against Tennessee and Kentucky.
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