Unfortunately, the time is coming when devoted fans will need to control their excitement, especially those who instinctively rush onto the field after their team wins.
You’ve already received warnings from the NCAA and your favorite teams about celebrating responsibly due to safety concerns. However, this time, you need to take it seriously.
Otherwise, you could put your team in a difficult financial situation. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has implemented a flat $500,000 fine for field storming, effective immediately. The previous tiered fine system is now gone forever.
What Changed With the SEC’s Field Storming Policy?
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) officially raised the fine for field and court storming to a flat $500,000, eliminating the previous escalating scale system.
NEW: Greg Sankey says the SEC will no longer use an escalating scale for field and court storming fines.
Stormings will now cost the home team $500,000.
(h/t @jordankaye_23) https://t.co/qa9iSDQUIY pic.twitter.com/YCH2JoPH3G
— On3 (@On3sports) May 29, 2025
Previously, schools were fined $100,000 for a first offense, $250,000 for a second, and $500,000 for a third. Now, regardless of how many penalties a school has received, every violation will immediately cost the maximum.
Why Did the SEC Make This Change?
The reason is about keeping people safe. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey explained it clearly so fans would understand. “Field rushing is field rushing, the first time or the 18th time,” Sankey said.
“The random nature of, if you’re the one getting rushed, it doesn’t feel good. It might be the first time (it happened) there, but it might be your sixth time in a row, literally.”
RELATED: Recruiting Drama Building as 2026 5-Star QB Ryder Lyons Trends Toward Oregon
The SEC will have the option to waive the fine if the opponent and officiating crew are allowed to vacate the field before it is rushed by fans.
Meanwhile, fans have become the real entertainers who bring energy to the comments. Some are jokingly saying, “Good thing we’re rich.” Others are rallying behind the tradition, humorously noting, “Let’s make storming fields great again.”
Good thing we’re rich pic.twitter.com/MA7amjBuWI
— 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗘𝗖: ɪᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴍᴇᴍᴇꜱ ᴍᴏʀᴇ 𝕏 (@JustMemesMore) May 29, 2025
However, not everyone is amused. Some fans are genuinely upset, arguing that the SEC is ruining the fun in the sport. The news spread quickly, and so did the reactions. But this change was necessary because field storming had become increasingly risky in recent times.
Why Are Safety Concerns Driving This Policy?
The SEC has tried to curtail crowd rushing for nearly two decades with hefty fines and pre-game planning amid concerns over safety and potential liability. The incidents have increased significantly in recent years.
When Vanderbilt upset then-No. 1 Alabama in October 2024, fans tore down the goalposts and carried them to the Cumberland River, resulting in a $100,000 fine under the old system. Vanderbilt was later fined $500,000 for a second instance of court-storming in basketball.
Alabama has been subjected to field storming in its last seven SEC road losses, highlighting the frequency of these incidents. Safety concerns were elevated after incidents like Alabama receiver Jermaine Burton allegedly striking a Tennessee fan during a field storming.
Will the New Fine Actually Stop Field Storming?
Alabama AD Greg Byrne has even suggested that teams should forfeit games if their fans storm the field, showing how seriously some administrators take this issue.
The SEC is one of the few conferences with formalized policies against storming, while the Big Ten and ACC don’t have similar rules. Other conferences have various policies, with the Pac-12 fining up to $100,000 for repeat offenders.
Whether a $500,000 fine will actually deter fans from celebrating big victories remains to be seen. As college football enters another exciting season, the battle between tradition and safety continues to evolve.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
