SEC POLICY ON ACCESS TO THE COMPETITION AREA
In all sports, institutions shall limit access to the competition area 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. Each member institution must provide security and uniformed law enforcement presence around each team and game officials before, during, and after the event to prevent contact with spectators. The area where teams and officials are dropped off and their path to/from team areas must be secure and not accessible to the public.
In the event of a field or court rush, the use of uniformed law enforcement personnel and equipment to secure a clear path off the playing surface for the visiting team and all team personnel is required. If a field/court rush ensues, the visiting team shall forgo the post-game handshake line and immediately move inside the barricade and get to their locker room as soon as possible. Each institution shall be responsible for implementing procedures to ensure compliance with this policy. Institutional penalties against individuals improperly entering the competition area may include expulsion from the facility, arrest for trespassing, loss of future ticket privileges, or other measures deemed appropriate by institutional law enforcement and administration. Violators who are students must also be subject to institutional student disciplinary measures.
Penalties for Institutional Violations
For the safety of participants and spectators alike, the Commissioner shall impose the following fines, which shall be paid directly to the opposing institution, for any field or court rush that occurs when the visiting team and/or game officials are still on the playing surface. The Commissioner may (in his or her sole discretion) impose additional penalties as he/she deems appropriate.
1st Offense: $100,000
2nd Offense: $250,000
3rd and each Subsequent Offense: $500,000