Greg Sankey Says SEC Has Put Together Group Looking to Stop Field, Court Storming

Three weeks after the University of Tennessee was fined for fans storming the field following a victory over Alabama, the SEC is taking steps to prevent field and court storming in the future.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Friday a working group is considering strategies to support effective crowd management.

"Current Conference policies need to be reviewed and improved with a focus on addressing field and court incursions by spectators after contests," said Sankey. "The SEC's Working Group on Event Security will focus its efforts on reviewing existing policies, developing new strategies and identifying best practices to enhance crowd management and more effectively address field and court incursions at future SEC athletics events."

According to the announcement, each SEC institution is required to "verify in writing annually to the Conference Office that an event security review of all sports venues has occurred in consultation with appropriate law enforcement" after conference presidents and chancellors approved a regulation last month.

The SEC adopted a policy in 2004 that fines schools if fans storm the field or court after a game. When the rule was initially implemented, fines ranged from $5,000 on first offense to $25,000 for a second offense and $50,000 for a third offense.

In 2015, the SEC increased the amount of fines to $50,000 (first offense), $100,000 (second offense) and $250,000 (third offense and beyond).

Tennessee was fined $100,000 by the conference after fans stormed the field following the 52-49 victory over Alabama on Oct. 15.

The Athletic's David Ubben noted it was the program's second field-storming violation, with the first coming in January 2006 after the Volunteers beat Florida in men's basketball.

Tennessee football's official Twitter account asked fans for donations to replace the goalposts that were torn down during the celebration after beating the Crimson Tide.

Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton is being investigated by the school after a Vols fan posted a video on TikTok claiming Burton smacked her in the head as he was walking to the locker room.

Multiple fans suffered non-life threatening injuries after storming the field in September following a Sun Belt Conference game between Troy and Appalachian State.

The SEC policy aimed at curtailing field and court storming is designed to protect fans, players and coaches.