SEC Changes Fine Policy for Field Stormings

While Alabama was on the losing side of three key games last season, the Crimson Tide benefited financially from the infractions of the Tide's opponents. Teams whose fans stormed the field after a major upset in football and the court after a major upset in basketball used to incur increasing fines for each occurrence. The first fine was $100,000, the second fine was $250,000, and the third was $500,000.

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Despite losing three games on the road, Alabama cashed in on three field-storming fines last season, collecting $400,000 combined from Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Oklahoma after fans of each school rushed the field after toppling the Crimson Tide.

Alabama was not the only team to collect fines from opposing SEC schools. Arkansas paid Tennessee  $250,000 after the Hogs shocked the Vols 19-14 in Fayetteville.

The increasing monetary value of the fines is no more, according to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. During SEC spring meetings in Deston, Florida, Sankey announced that the fines would now be a flat rate of $500,000 for each occurrence, regardless of the number of infractions. If a fanbase has never stormed a field or court, the first time they do, it will be a $500,000 fine for the school. However, if a team consistently is storming the field, each occurrence will be a $500,000 fine, racking up an expensive bill quickly.

If the rule had been in place last season, Alabama would have collected $1.5 million in fines from Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Oklahoma for the fan bases storming the field after toppling the Tide.

If Alabama falls on the road again in 2025, the Tide will collect $500,000 every time opposing fans rush the field after watching their team beat Alabama.

Last season, during Alabama's losses on the road, there were multiple messages from teams discouraging fans from storming the field. Oklahoma fans stormed the field twice: Once before the game officially ended, then once again after the clock ran out. Tennessee put a message on the video board telling fans to stay off the field. Despite the encouragement to follow the rules from the teams, fans still rushed the field after their teams officially beat Alabama.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.