BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (October 16, 2022) – The Southeastern Conference announced today that the University of Tennessee 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 the University of Alabama on October 15.

Tennessee will incur a fine of $100,000 for a second offense under the league’s access to competition area policy.  Tennessee was last fined for a violation following a basketball game against Florida in 2006.

Fines levied against schools for violation of the access to competition area policy are deposited into the SEC Post-Graduate Scholarship Fund.

The policy states that “access to competition areas shall be limited to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly-credentialed individuals at all times.  For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest shall spectators be permitted to enter the competition area.  It is the responsibility of each member institution to implement procedures to ensure compliance with this policy.”

Financial penalties are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference.  Institutional penalties range from $50,000 for a first offense to fines of up to $100,000 for a second offense and up to $250,000 for a third and subsequent offenses.  The policy was originally adopted by a vote of Conference members in 2004 and financial penalties were increased by action taken by the membership during the 2015 SEC Spring Meetings.

-SEC