📡 Byrne: Forfeits Can End Field Storming - (Missouri HC begs fans, "please don't rush the court.")

[Bama News]

Byrne: Forfeits Can End Field Storming

Alabama's Athletic Director had an interesting perspective about what could put an end to field storming.

tide1009.com

Alabama football was on the wrong end of three field storms in 2024, with Vanderbilt fans storming the field in an unprecedented upset of Alabama in September, Tennessee fans storming the field after an upset of Alabama for the second time in three seasons, and Oklahoma fans storming it twice in the Sooners' upset of Alabama.

However, with Alabama collecting $400,000 in fines, clearly the fines are not enough to deter fans, because they do not feel the consequences of the actions. The schools and athletic departments do.

Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne has seen his team on the wrong end three times, and each time, there has been concern for the health and safety of Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide football team.

Byrne provided one extreme answer for the field and court storming problem in college athletics:

I think from a safety standpoint, keeping people off the fields and courts is a good thing for everybody involved," Byrne told ESPN. "If we said that the home team, if they storm the field or the court, they’re going to lose the game right then and there, that will stop it.”

Fans taking the field after big wins is an integral part that makes college football exciting, but storming the field before players have the chance to leave safely is a major issue in college sports right now.

 

[TerryP]

Fans taking the field after big wins is an integral part that makes college football exciting,

Uh, no.

 

[UAgrad93]

I say “hit them with a forfeit or make them pay an exorbitant fine that must come from NIL.

 

[TerryP]

I say “hit them with a forfeit or make them pay an exorbitant fine that must come from NIL.

Over the last few years we've talked about this. There's no doubt if that's the rule the players are the ones receiving the most of the "hurt." (We've seen penalties called on fans, so this isn't so far out of the norm.) So, it's a "players hurt emotionally" if they win and it's forfeited or players hurt because of some fan going nuts. (You see that crap after the SB. People can't tell me it won't escalate: common sense says it will.)

Another option, and it's one the commissioners won't like (among others.) Let's say Tennessee rushed the field like they did with their win against Bama (the infamous cell phone incident.) They hosted UK the following week which by no means is a "marquee game." But, what if there was a TV ban dropped on the following week? Or the next home game? IE: UT storms field after win against Florida, two weeks later no TV when they host UGA.)

 

[Krimson]

Over the last few years we've talked about this. There's no doubt if that's the rule the players are the ones receiving the most of the "hurt." (We've seen penalties called on fans, so this isn't so far out of the norm.) So, it's a "players hurt emotionally" if they win and it's forfeited or players hurt because of some fan going nuts. (You see that crap after the SB. People can't tell me it won't escalate: common sense says it will.)

Another option, and it's one the commissioners won't like (among others.) Let's say Tennessee rushed the field like they did with their win against Bama (the infamous cell phone incident.) They hosted UK the following week which by no means is a "marquee game." But, what if there was a TV ban dropped on the following week? Or the next home game? IE: UT storms field after win against Florida, two weeks later no TV when they host UGA.)

Ban fans for the week, make it like a covid game.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Forfeits suck.
Wont work. For those storming field. The world only exist ...today.
They arent taking tv away..... sorry...you know that @TerryP

Difference between punishing programs and punishing teams...
Double/ triple fines.
400 000$ obviously isnt. Enough

Where is amount that gets fans attention
Maybe that doesn't even work Or progression penalty
Million$ first offense....2 million next...
maybe fans don't care even with those amounts...

 

[Bammerboy321]

Like I said earlier, let's put on that hideous orange TN wears and storm the field for every game.

 

[BamaFan334]

I personally like field and court storming. The issue that messes it all up is some dumbass filing a lawsuit and it making headlines when it should never even be allowed. That's seriously what gets it gone for me. This is simply a situation where college aged kids want their cake and to eat it to. Hey, we want to storm the field, but we also want to be protected if we are hurt or something goes wrong.

 

[TerryP]

Forfeits suck.
Wont work. For those storming field. The world only exist ...today.
They arent taking tv away..... sorry...you know that @TerryP

A TV ban for a weekend? I don't know...TV ban for a season isn't what was suggested.

On the serious side I've said two things:

Netting/barriers work.
Let 'em lose a home game (which would get more flak than losing TV for a weekend: it affects an entire community.)

I personally like field and court storming.

It's chaos; a step below what we saw in the streets of Philadelphia (likely because there aren't light poles at midfield.)

 

[doemasters]

I have always thought that they should have to move the next home game with that team to their place

Say if Tennessee won and rushed the field the next three years would be at Alabama

They could also say fans could come on the field 15 minutes after the game was over to give the other time plenty of time to get off the field

 

[TerryP]

They could also say fans could come on the field 15 minutes after the game was over to give the other time plenty of time to get off the field

That's reasonable.

Ya know, one person (group) I've never heard an opinion from? The grounds crew.

 

[BamaFan334]

A TV ban for a weekend? I don't know...TV ban for a season isn't what was suggested.

On the serious side I've said two things:

Netting/barriers work.
Let 'em lose a home game (which would get more flak than losing TV for a weekend: it affects an entire community.)


It's chaos; a step below what we saw in the streets of Philadelphia (likely because there aren't light poles at midfield.)

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I don't like the idea of forfeits, unless it's major repeat offender who won't respond to other measures. I still say, fine the living shit out of them with the money going to the opposing team. They money does go to the opposing team now, but the fines need to be raised, substantially. And the money fined needs to come out of the offending school's portion of the revenue sharing payout from the league at the end of the year. If a team is having to give up $5 or $10 million to a rival team, they will magically find a way to "fix" the problem. I'd also support Sankey applying other punitive punishments for repeat offenders... He could revoke alcohol sales, not just for football, but all sports, for period of 2 years or more (which would be damaging). He could take away things like an SEC softball tournament from a school, and put that school at the back of the line in the rotation. He could use his influence to give repeat offenders shitty 11 am kick times for future games. Point is, a lot more could be done other than some slap on the wrists fines if they really wanted to stop it.

 

[TerryP]

They money does go to the opposing team now, but the fines need to be raised, substantially.

Alabama's football team was the visitor for three field storms this season and received $400,000 -- $100,000 from Vanderbilt, $100,000 from Tennessee and $200,000 from Oklahoma ($100,000 for the field storm and another $100,000 for rushing the field before time expired).2 days ago

College sports still grappling with how to stop court storms

The question as storms in football and basketball continue: How to let fans celebrate and keep everyone safe?

www.espn.com

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Alabama's football team was the visitor for three field storms this season and received $400,000 -- $100,000 from Vanderbilt, $100,000 from Tennessee and $200,000 from Oklahoma ($100,000 for the field storm and another $100,000 for rushing the field before time expired).2 days ago

College sports still grappling with how to stop court storms

The question as storms in football and basketball continue: How to let fans celebrate and keep everyone safe?

www.espn.com

I would welcome losing to the Vols and being subjected to field stormings each time on the next 3 trips to Knoxville if it fully funded a new basketball arena while gutting their own department to the point where they had to carpool to away games for the next 20 years.

 

[Bama News]

Mizzou coach begs fans, 'Please, do not rush the court!' after win over No. 4 Alabama | FOX Sports

Missouri coach Dennis Gates hopped on the microphone to ask fans not to storm the court, while Alabama coach Nate Oats was T'd up for smashing his clipboard on Wednesday night.

www.foxsports.com

Mark Mitchell scored a career-high 31 points, Caleb Grill had 25 points and matched his career high with 10 rebounds and No. 15 Missouri handed No. 4 Alabama its second straight loss, 110-98 on Wednesday night.

Missouri coach Dennis Gates headed off a court-storming celebration by taking the public address microphone and imploring the crowd to stay back. "Please, do not rush the court! Please, do not rush the court!" Gates said to the fans.