How much does an SEC West title celebration cost? For Auburn, $250,000.
That's the fine Auburn will incur after its crowd stormed the field following the No. 6 Tigers' 26-14 win over No. 1 Alabama Saturday afternoon at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"The Conference has unanimously approved a policy requiring fines be applied when spectators enter the playing field after a game," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. "Fans are expected to remain in the stands and avoid the safety concerns associated with rushing on to the playing field. We want exciting experiences around SEC games, but also seek to maintain a safe environment for student-athletes, coaches, spectators and officials."
The hefty price tag is because this is the third offense for the Tigers since the rule went into effect in December 2004. The previous instances were a men's basketball win over Kentucky in 2016, and the famous "Kick Six" Iron Bowl win over Alabama to claim the SEC West in 2013.
At SEC spring meetings in 2015, the conference voted to increase the penalties for fans storming the field to $50,000 for a first offense, up to $100,000 for a second offense and up to $250,000 for a third and subsequent offenses. It also voted to eliminate the three-year window at that time. Previous fines were up to $5,000 for the first instance and $25,000 for the second.
Auburn will play Georgia in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday.
