Kentucky received its field-storming punishment from the SEC on Sunday, but it’s likely one that the Wildcats’ Athletic Department will be more than willing to pay.
Following UK’s stunning 35-34 overtime win over then-No. 10 LSU on Saturday night, Big Blue Nation fittingly rushed onto the field to celebrate the upset victory and a 5-1 start to the Will Stein era.
Of course, recent conference rule changes have barred schools’ fans from taking over the field, with personal safety at the forefront of that change.
Thus, the league released a statement Sunday to officially lay down the $500,000 fine:
The Southeastern Conference announced today that the University of Kentucky will be fined for a violation of the league’s access to competition area policy due to fans entering the field following its football game against Louisiana State University on October 10.
Kentucky will incur a fine of $500,000 for the violation under the league’s access to competition area policy.
Financial penalties are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference.*
Any violation of the access to competition area policy results in a fine of $500,000.*
For Conference contests, fines are paid to the opposing institution.*
The policy states that “institutions shall limit access to competition areas to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly credentialed or authorized individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest may spectators enter the competition area.
Under Stein, Kentucky is hoping that securing wins of this caliber becomes regular enough that it won’t feel the urge to rush the field after each one.
And for LSU, at least Lane Kiffin and the Bayou Bengals now have an extra 500,000 grand to spend on next year’s roster.
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Parker is currently the sports editor for Gulf Coast Media in Foley, Alabama. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
