SEC reprimands Texas for game interruption

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (October 20, 2024) – The University of Texas will be assessed a financial penalty and must meet requirements set forth by the Commissioner following interruption of its October 19 football game with the University of Georgia due to fans throwing debris on to the field, the Southeastern Conference announced Sunday.

A portion of the third quarter of the Georgia-Texas football game was interrupted and delayed when some fans threw objects onto the playing field, interrupting the competitive opportunity for both teams and endangering contest participants.

“The throwing of debris and resulting interruption of play that took place Saturday night cannot be part of any SEC event,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “The SEC is assigned responsibility by its membership to enforce its sportsmanship and game management policies and these actions are consistent with that oversight responsibility, including the financial penalty and mandated reviews.”

Under the sportsmanship, game management and alcohol availability policies established by the Southeastern Conference, the University of Texas will:

• Be assessed a financial penalty of $250,000;

• Be required to use all available resources, including security, stadium and television video, to identify individuals who threw objects onto the playing field or at the opposing team. All individuals identified as having been involved in disrupting the game shall be prohibited from attending Texas Athletics events for the remainder of the 2024-25 academic and athletic year;

• Review and update its Athletics Department game management procedures and alcohol availability policies to prevent a recurrence of Saturday night’s disruption, which shall include an evaluation of agreed upon SEC Sportsmanship, Game Management and Alcohol policies to verify full compliance with existing standards, and

• Following completion of this review, the University shall provide a report to the Conference Office to summarize its efforts to identify and penalize offenders and its plan to enact policies to prevent future similar incidents while ensuring compliance with Conference standards.

The actions taken by the Conference are consistent with SEC Bylaws and Commissioner’s Regulations related to the availability of alcoholic beverages at athletics events which states, “If cans or plastic bottles are used as projectiles or otherwise cause game management issues, the institution is subject to an immediate fine and suspension of the alcohol sales privilege.”

The Conference is not suspending alcohol sales privileges for the University of Texas at this time but reserves the right to do so if other requirements outlined above are not met.