SEC confirms hefty fine for South Carolina’s field storming after Texas A&M game

Less than 24 hours after South Carolina upset No. 10 Texas A&M on Saturday night, the SEC has already announced the penalty for Gamecocks fans rushing the field after the victory.

“South Carolina will incur a fine of $250,000 for a second offense under the league’s current access to competition area policy that was revised at the SEC Spring Meetings in 2023.,” the statement read.

“South Carolina’s first offense under the revised policy occurred when fans entered the court following a Gamecock victory over Kentucky in men’s basketball in January.”

In that revised competition area policy, the payout recipient changed from the SEC itself to the opposing school (if it occurs during a conference game). That means South Carolina will have to write the quarter-million-dollar check to Texas A&M.

Now with two strikes, South Carolina will have to pay $500,000 for every field/court storming going forward.

“Sorry about the fine, Coach Tanner,” Shane Beamer said to athletic director Ray Tanner, who was in the room for Saturday night’s postgame press conference. “Don’t take that out of our NIL money for sure.”