SEC fines OU $200,000 for premature field storming
The Southeastern Conference has fined OU $200,000 for storming the field twice on Saturday.
Oklahoma upset No. 7 Alabama 24-3 at home, giving the Sooners their biggest win of the season and of the Brent Venables era. Fans rushed the field after the game, but also during the game with 28 seconds left on the game clock. This cost OU an additional $100,000 on top of the normal $100,000 fine for storming the field. Auburn, which beat No. 15 Texas A&M on Saturday, also stormed the field and was fiend $100,000. OU has not stormed the field since 2000, when the Sooners beat No. 1 Nebraska.
The SEC released the following statement:
Oklahoma was in violation of the policy following its game against the University of Alabama and will incur a fine of $100,000 for a first offense under the policy. In addition, Oklahoma will incur an additional fine of $100,000 due to fans entering the field prior to the end of the Alabama game, which caused a delay in the contest.
For Conference contests, fines for violation of the access to competition area policy are paid to the opposing institution.
The policy states that “institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area.”
Following the game, SoonerScoop.com spoke with OU athletics director Joe Castiglione about the field storming and the ensuing fins the school faced.
“It’s a special win and the fans played an important and crucial role throughout the game. And the players responded to it on the field throughout the game,” Castiglione said. “You want an opportunity for them to celebrate, but (storming the field) is never done in an orderly way. You don’t want to pour any water on anyone’s passion or having fun. But it’s about the safety of those on the field that have a right to be on a field. And getting them off the field safely. And then the people running onto the field that don’t know where they’re going, how fast they’re going… It was a magical night. We just want to make sure everyone is safe because there are liabilities that come with that.”
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As for Venables, he enjoyed celebrating with the fans. But he joked he didn’t want to be a part of the fine that eventually came OU’s way.
“You can’t blame them, they’re just excited,” Venables said. “Yeah, premature, but no, it’s good, a good problem to have. I hope, I hope that nobody gets fined. Don’t take it out of my pocket.”
