SEC announces new field-storming policies, penalties

The SEC announced its new field-storming policies and there will be penalties assessed to the institutions responsible.

The offenses are $100,000 for the first, $250,000 for the second and $500,000 for the third. Currently, all SEC schools reset to no offenses moving forward.

The conference released the full stipulations Thursday.

“Each member institution must provide security and uniformed law enforcement presence around each team and game officials before, during and after the event to prevent contact with spectators,” the statement read in part. “The area where teams and officials are dropped off and their path to/from team areas must be secure and not accessible to the general public. In the event of a field or court rush, use of uniformed law enforcement personnel and equipment (e.g. rope, barricade, expandable tunnels) to secure a clear path off the playing surface for the visiting team, including their personnel (e.g. equipment managers), is required. 

“If a field/court rush ensues, the visiting team shall forgo the postgame handshake line and immediately move inside the barricade to their locker room as soon as possible.”

With the fine situation, the institutional fine is paid directly to the opposing institution, per the statement.

The backend of the statement detailed the penalties for the institutions responsible for a field storming.

“Effective immediately, each institution will reset to the beginning of a fresh penalty cycle,” the statement read, regarding penalties. “The penalty also shall reset if an institution is free from a violation in all sports for a consecutive four-year period. The Commissioner may also impose additional penalties as he or she deems appropriate.

“A field or court rush occurs when the visiting team and/or game officials are still on the playing surface. Member institutions may adopt a policy that allows fans to celebrate on the playing surface once all visiting team personnel and game officials have safely exited the field or court. If all visiting team personnel and game officials are safely off the playing surface prior to fans entering the field or court, then the home institution may avoid the prescribed penalty.”