NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Vanderbilt University men’s basketball team defeated the No. 6 University of Tennessee by just a single point Saturday, but as a result of the fans’ excitement about the victory, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced Vandy will have to pay a hefty fine for the second time in less than four months.
The Commodores beat the Vols 76-75 on Saturday, Jan. 18, marking Vanderbilt’s second win in the last 14 games of this series. Vandy fans flooded the court at the end of the game, which was the first sellout at Memorial Gym since 2019, according to the Associated Press.
On Sunday, Jan. 19, the SEC announced that Vanderbilt will be fined for violating the league’s access to competition area policy due to fans entering the court after the basketball game.
Officials said Vandy will need to pay the University of Tennessee $250,000 for a second offense under the league’s current policy, which was revised at the SEC Spring Meetings in 2023.
The policy states that “institutions shall limit access to competition areas 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.”
Financial penalties are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference. Institutional penalties range from $100,000 for a first offense, $250,000 for a second offense and $500,000 for a third and subsequent offenses.
The policy was originally adopted by a vote of Conference members in 2004 and financial penalties were increased by action taken by the membership in 2015 and again in 2023.
Press release from the SEC
Vanderbilt’s previous offense happened on Oct. 5, 2024, after a historic victory against the University of Alabama, which had the nation’s No. 1 football team at the time.
Not only did Commodore fans swarm the field following the game, but they tore down a goal post, carried it a few miles through downtown Nashville, and tossed it in the Cumberland River. As a result of that incident, the SEC fined Vandy $100,000.
