Sports
Tennessee faces $500,000 SEC penalty after postgame field rush in Knoxville
The SEC fined Tennessee after fans entered the playing field following the Vols’ 26-10 win over Alabama at Neyland Stadium. The conference’s policy allows the penalty to be reduced to $100,000 only if specific conditions for preventing and limiting a field rush are met.
Tennessee was fined $500,000 by the Southeastern Conference on Sunday after fans rushed the field at Neyland Stadium following the Vols’ 26-10 victory over then-No. 6 Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 17, in Knoxville.
Under SEC policy, Tennessee must pay the fine to Alabama. The conference sets a $500,000 penalty for schools whose fans gain access to competition areas in SEC-sponsored sports.
The policy says schools must restrict access to playing areas to protect athletes, officials and spectators. It also allows schools to set procedures for postgame celebrations on the field once visiting team personnel and game officials have safely left.
Commissioner Greg Sankey can reduce the fine to $100,000 if Tennessee demonstrates that it made a full effort to prevent the rush, only a small number of people entered the field and interaction with Alabama’s team was minimal. Those conditions were not met in Knoxville, according to the report.
The rush continued a run of field-storming incidents after Alabama road losses: it was the 11th in a row, a streak that began at Auburn in 2013. Tennessee’s win marked the third time in three games that the Vols had beaten Alabama at Neyland Stadium. After the victory, the stadium played “Dixieland Delight,” a song associated with Alabama football.