Kentucky Fined $250,000 For SEC Violation At Kroger Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced today that the University of Kentucky will be fined for a violation of the league’s access to competition area policy, due to fans entering the field following its football game against the University of Florida on October 2. The Wildcats, now ranked No. 16 in this week's AP Top 25 poll, improved to 5-0 after defeating No. 10 Florida 20-13.
Kentucky will incur a fine of $250,000 for a third offense under the league’s access to competition area policy. UK was last fined for a violation following its football game against Mississippi State in 2018.
Fines levied against schools for violation of the access to competition area policy are deposited into the SEC Post-Graduate Scholarship Fund.
The policy states that “access to competition areas shall be limited to participating student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and properly-credentialed individuals at all times. For the safety of participants and spectators alike, at no time before, during or after a contest shall spectators be permitted to enter the competition area. It is the responsibility of each member institution to implement procedures to ensure compliance with this policy.”
Financial penalties, which were increased by action taken during the 2015 SEC Spring Meetings, are imposed for violations in all sports sponsored by the Conference. Institutional penalties range from $50,000 for a first offense to fines of up to $100,000 for a second offense and up to $250,000 for a third and subsequent offenses. The policy was originally adopted in 2004.
