Texas AD says Longhorns fan who recorded himself on field flipping off Florida players has been banned
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte on Tuesday announced that a fan who came onto the DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium field to flip off Florida players after the Longhorns’ 27-24 loss to the Gators has been issued a lifetime ban from the venue.
“I want to address the video circulating on social media showing unacceptable behavior by an individual who had the privilege of field access following Saturday’s game,” Del Conte wrote in his “Forty Acres Insider” newsletter. “We pride ourselves on sportsmanship and treating our opponents with respect. This individual’s actions did not reflect those values or meet our standards and will not be tolerated.
“The matter has been addressed internally, and I want to personally apologize to the University of Florida and its entire football program. Having access to our field comes with a responsibility to represent Texas with class and respect. This individual failed to uphold that responsibility and has been permanently banned from Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.”
The video in question shows a man in Longhorns gear walking onto the field in front of Florida players and yelling out expletives. At one point, a Gators staffer had to get between the fan and a Florida player. Toward the end of the video, a Texas staff member appeared to come over to the fan to confirm whether or not he had field access.
As of now, the fan in question has not been identified. Whoever it is, he won’t ever be allowed back in DKR.
As for the Longhorns, they’re picking up the pieces after their second straight loss, one that puts a damper on their College Football Playoff hopes. They host Ole Miss in Week 8.
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Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
