Storming the field or the court after landmark Southeastern Conference victories is about to become a lot more expensive.
Outgoing SEC commissioner Mike Slive is making the safety of student-athletes and fans a big concern before his departure in late July. Slive addressed the issue Tuesday and again Wednesday at the league's spring meetings in Destin, Fla.
"It's an attempt to change the behavior," Slive said in a news conference. "I think we have changed it considerably, but there are still times when it happens, and I think our folks felt that the current fine structure is not sufficiently large enough to be a quality deterrent."
Slive instituted penalties for excessive celebration in December 2004, with the first infraction resulting in a $5,000 fine. The second violation for storming a court or field has resulted in a $25,000 fine, with the third and subsequent infractions resulting in $50,000 fines.
Though he has yet to reveal a new punishment scale, Slive said Wednesday night that the first offense now may be $50,000.
New SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey speaks before an NCAA college basketball game in the quarter final round of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 13, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. Sankey replaces the retiring Mike Slive as commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) "That's real money to me," he said.
Ole Miss has been fined each of the past three football seasons for storming the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Rebels were docked $5,000 after their 2012 win over Mississippi State, $25,000 after their 2013 upset of LSU, and $50,000 after last season's stunning of Alabama.
No school has violated the SEC celebration rule more than Kentucky, which has been fined after victories at Commonwealth Stadium over Georgia in 2006, Louisville and LSU in '07, South Carolina in '10, Tennessee in '11 and South Carolina again last season. The Wildcats halted a 17-year losing streak against Steve Spurrier-coached teams in 2010 and ended a 26-year losing streak to the Volunteers the following season.
Perhaps the most memorable celebration scene in league history took place in 2013, when thousands of Auburn fans covered the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium following a 34-28 upset of top-ranked Alabama. Auburn was fined $5,000 after the first field-storming incident at Jordan-Hare since former Central High kicker Damon Duval booted the winning field goal in a 23-20 stunning of No. 1 Florida in 2001.
Tennessee was fined $5,000 in January 2006 after fans stormed the Thompson-Boling Arena court following an upset of second-ranked Florida.
Slive instituted penalties for fans entering the playing arena several weeks after the Clemson-South Carolina football game ended in a hideous brawl and several days after Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest had a drink thrown on him in Detroit and entered the stands.
'Free to fan out'
Slive announced Wednesday night that the league will drop its restrictions on satellite camps in 2016 if the camps have not been eliminated by other conferences. Alabama's Nick Saban and other SEC coaches expressed their displeasure Tuesday that Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State can conduct clamps around the country, including the Deep South.
If satellite camps are not eliminated within the year, Slive said SEC coaches would be "free to fan out all over the country and have at it."
Four is just fine
Bill Hancock, the head of college football's four-team playoff, spoke in a news conference Wednesday night in Destin and seemed certain that change was not imminent.
"There has been no talk of expanding it," Hancock said. "We are solid with this for 11 more years. Four is the right number."
Vote coming Friday
Georgia has a proposal to ban all transfers who have been dismissed at a previous school for assault or domestic violence. Defensive tackle Jonathan Taylor was dismissed from the Bulldogs last July after a felony domestic violence arrest, but he enrolled at Alabama earlier this year only to get dismissed again.
The proposal will be up for a vote Friday, with Georgia coach Mark Richt speaking out this week in favor of the change. Saban expressed his opposition.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.