BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference announced Friday it will review its policy on fan storming of postgame fields and courts and examine ways schools can make raucous celebrations safer.
The move comes after Tennessee and LSU were fined last month by the SEC for fans rushing onto the field after football games.
“If people want to go, they want to go,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told SEC Network last month. “But we have to retrain people to stay in the stands.”
The conference said a task force of athletic directors, event management directors and campus security officers from participating schools will be formed to study the issue and make recommendations to be presented at SEC meetings next spring.
“Ensuring a consistent and adequate level of safety and security remains a common goal of SEC member institutions,” Sankey said Friday. “Our agencies remain current and vigilant in crowd control best practices and continue to work with local law enforcement to develop effective security protocols at SEC venues, and we need to continue to adapt conference policies to address new realities.”
A longstanding SEC policy fines schools for fans rushing onto the playing field or court. Tennessee was fined $100,000 after fans flooded the field at Neyland Stadium and destroyed one of the goal posts following the Volunteers’ win over Alabama.
Fines increase with each violation. LSU was fined $250,000 for a third violation after its fans stormed the field after the Tigers beat Mississippi State last month at Tiger Stadium.
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