Those in the college football world were not pleased with a policy change that the SEC is reportedly mulling.
After an upset win, storming the field or court has almost become an unspoken tradition for fans of the home team. It’s just something that you do. Yes, there’s always been a consequence for these actions, as violations can lead up to a quarter-million-dollar fine for the University, but school presidents seemed willing to bite that bullet. Maybe not so much anymore.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde, it appears the SEC will be handing out harsher penalties for storming the field. Forde reports that proposals for a new policy are expected to be presented to the league’s athletic directors. If the revamped policy is advanced to the presidents and chancellors at the SEC spring meetings, approved changes could be implemented for the 2023-24 athletic year.
Forde wrote about what those changes may entail:
“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.”
So if this new policy change is approved and fans still storm the field, they very well cost their team a future SEC home game. Seriously.
Naturally, judging by the reactions on social media, the college football world was none too pleased with these proposals:
Don't think it should be lost on anyone that "The working group, headed by Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne, Georgia AD Josh Brooks and Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart"….. Aka the ADs most likely to be involved in a court/field storming. https://t.co/xJvvLnnIKR
— Richard🇬🇾Johnson (human) (@RJ_cfb) April 24, 2023
When it means so much more https://t.co/sSSNPpckpG
— Championship Connoisseur (@UMvsEveryone) April 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/NathanKing247/status/1650556215246696464?s=20
The less college football looks and feels like college football the more fans will gravitate to the NFL. https://t.co/oZcOb70umD
— Michael Borkey (@MichaelBorkey) April 24, 2023
We really love storming the field. If the SEC does this they need to take away the home game for their buy games. For example, Texas A&M storms the field, the penalty will be their game against ULM will in Monroe, Louisiana. Then we will support EVEN more field storming! https://t.co/1RcR0mjWiL
— 🇸🇲 Sickos Committee 🇸🇲 (@SickosCommittee) April 24, 2023
Taking away a home game is ridiculous…
Although I’d love to see how teams prevented students from rushing the field. Florida has their student section surrounded by a gator filled moat etc… https://t.co/alarPxfLUf— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) April 24, 2023
Realllllly ridiculous rule change proposal here that I doubt the fans – a big part of the reason this conference is so special – from any program would appreciate. https://t.co/MNY4Js8V6H
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) April 24, 2023
This is dumb. Try to stop 100K people from doing anything. Its part of sports. https://t.co/xnaIQgho1R
— Mik’d Up (@Mikdup_8) April 24, 2023
