SEC Presidents Approve Plan to Increase Fines for Fans Storming Field, Court

SEC presidents approved a plan Thursday that will levy massive fines for universities if their fans storm the football field or basketball court, per David Ubben of The Athletic.

There will be a $100,000 fine for a first offense, a $250,000 fine for a second offense and a $500,000 fine for a third offense. Those penalties have been significantly increased from before ($50,000 for first offense, $100,000 for second offense and $250,000 for third offense).

In addition, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey can decree that teams pay additional fines as well.

Other implementations will be put into play. Of note, home teams must have uniformed law enforcement and security personnel around teams and officials before, during and after games to mitigate any interactions between fans and players.

Universities must now also utilize measures such as ropes or barricades to make a secure buffer zone separating visiting teams and fans. Sankey noted that there must be a "clear path" off the playing surface as well.

All 14 SEC universities must submit a management plan by Aug. 1 to the league in addition to a communication plan to fans discouraging them from storming the playing surface.

Talk of increased penalties has been on the table this year. Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde reported in April that forfeiture of games was even in consideration, albeit unlikely to pass.

"The premise of losing a future SEC home game is just one of the policy changes that has been discussed by the working group. An even more drastic one—forfeiture of the game in which the field storm occurred—is unlikely to gain much traction. But there is general agreement that something more needs to be done beyond hitting schools in their fat wallets."

Ultimately, fines are now firmly in the six figures, and teams are mandated to take further action to potentially deter court and field rushing.