Vicky Graff Photo
Safety is something that the Southeastern Conference should be worried about and when fans storm the football field or basketball court after a big win, it can be a scary time for home fans caught in the frenzy but especially for the visiting players and coaches.
The SEC has a committee of athletic directors Greg Byrne of Alabama, Josh Brooks of Georgia and Mitch Barnhart of Kentucky that Sports Illustrated senior writer Pat Forde wrote has been gathering input for months on what options might curtail field/court storming.
Forde noted that recommendations could be made to the SEC’s presidents and chancellors at the SEC spring meetings from May 30 to June 2 in Destin, Fla.
“The fact that field-rushing still happens means that the fine structure hasn’t solved all of our problems,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said at the Associated Press Sports Editors southeast region meeting in Birmingham, according to the Tuscaloosa News. “I would expect some level of updates as we go into the year ahead, one of which is a higher expectation for security around the visiting team when those field incursions take place.”
Sankey started searching for ways to prevent “field-rushing” after Tennessee fans stormed the field and tore down goalposts after a win over Alabama and then LSU fans did the same when the Tigers beat Alabama.
One potential proposal according to Forde is the home team would lose a future SEC home game if fans rushed the field or court. There is also talk of the home team forfeiting the win if fans storm the playing area.
It’s hard to imagine the SEC taking away a future home game — or a WIN — but obviously a fine system means nothing because SEC schools are loaded with cash and fans know it.
Plus who will decide exactly what warrants an unsafe situation that merits one of these potential new punishments? How many fans make the situation unsafe? What must fans do to make it unsafe?
I remember my days as a student many, many years ago and I doubt I would have been worried about losing a home game a couple of years after my graduation or would even stop to think about a possible forfeit.
The biggest positive could be making sure there is far more security for visiting teams, especially for games where it’s obvious a win by the home team could touch off a rowdy celebration.
Maybe just the threat of losing a home game or a win would be enough for SEC head coaches to make sure fans don’t storm the field/court. However, I just don’t quite see the SEC going this far quite yet with potential punishments.
3 Responses
What if the away team wins and storms the field/court after a win? Do they then get two home games in a row? Sounds stupid to me.
I like the idea of there talking.
Is this the most critical issue facing SEC athletics? I understand the concern for player safety, and I believe this is a topic worthy attention, but the most important issue affecting SEC and all collegiate sports is consistently poor officiating. I see no effort by conferences or the NCAA to address this matter.