SEC considering harsher punishments for storming the field, court

Storming the field or court is a rite of passage after a monumental win in college football or basketball. In the SEC, it’s accompanied by a hefty fine that, more often than not, is laughed off by athletic departments as a form of “It just means more” bragging rights. Maybe not for long. According to Pat Forde, the SEC is considering dramatically increasing the penalties for storming the field or court, up to taking away future home games or even making the team that won forfeit.

Currently, teams are fined $50,000 for their first violation of the SEC event safety rule, $100,000 for the second offense, and $250,000 for each subsequent violation. The policy has been in place since 2004 and in 2015, the fines were increased. Last week, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey hinted that the league would change its policy soon amid safety concerns.

“The fact that field-rushing still happens means that the fine structure hasn’t solved all of our problems,” Sankey said at the Associated Press Sports Editors southeast region meeting in Birmingham, via the Tuscaloosa News. “I would expect some level of updates as we go into the year ahead, one of which is a higher expectation for security around the visiting team when those field incursions take place.”

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Mitch Barnhart among ADs working on new policy

Sankey appointed a working group on event safety last November in response to Tennessee and LSU’s wins over Alabama, after which fans stormed the field and, in Knoxville, ripped out the goalposts, carried them through town, and dumped them in the river. You may recall that an Alabama player smacked a Tennessee fan after that game too. The working group is led by Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne, Georgia AD Josh Brooks…and Kentucky’s very own Mitch Barnhart.

Since November, the group has been gathering input and brainstorming ways to keep fans off the field in the interest of player and personnel safety. Per Forde, taking away a future SEC home game or making the team that won forfeit are among the options on the table, although the latter is less likely.

We don’t have to wait too long to find out what the SEC will do. According to Forde, the working group will present their proposals to the league’s athletic directors soon for feedback and then to the presidents and chancellors at the SEC spring meetings, which take place May 30 to June 2 in Destin, Florida. If approved, changes could be implemented for the 2023-24 athletic year. Just in time for Kentucky to host Alabama.

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Great Moments in Kentucky Field-Storming History

Kentucky’s last fine for storming the field, $250,000, came following the Cats’ win over No. 10 Florida in October 2021, which snapped the Gators’ 35-year winning streak in Lexington. Fans also stormed the field after the 2018 win over Mississippi State, the 2014 win over South Carolina, the 2011 win over Tennessee, the 2010 win over South Carolina, the 2007 wins over LSU and Louisville, the 2006 win over Georgia, and, of course, the 1997 win over Alabama.

It’s a slow Monday, so let’s relive some of those moments.

2021: Kentucky 20, No. 10 Florida 13

We celebrate tonight, go back to work again tomorrow morning.

🗣 @UKCoachStoops #ForTheTeam 😼🏈 pic.twitter.com/cix9aF1MxB

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) October 3, 2021

2014: Kentucky 45, South Carolina 38

2011: Kentucky 10, Tennessee 7

2010: Kentucky 31, No. 10 South Carolina 28

2007: Kentucky 43, No. 1 LSU 37 (OT)

2007: Kentucky 40, No. 9 Louisville 34

1997: Kentucky 40, No. 20 Alabama 34 (OT)