Vanderbilt Basketball Announces New Court Storming Policy
The Vanderbilt Commodores athletic department announced a new policy for its fans in Memorial Gymnasium in an effort to combat court storming, promote safety and prevent the department from being fined by the Southeastern Conference.
The Commodores announced following the conclusion of the game an donce the visiting team and officials have cleared the floor that students and fans will be allowed on the floor to celebrate victory for 30 minutes.
"I want to thank you for the great crowd support you've given our team this year," head coach Mark Byington said in a video announcement. "If we're fortunate enough to win, we need a new way to celebrate. We need to stay off the court. There will be a timer after every game and that's for the safety of the players and everyone around. You are a huge part of our success and it's great to have Memorial magic and the environment you all create. We can't wait to share future successes with you. Anchor down. Go Vandy."
The Commodore students and fans rushed the floor after Vanderbilt's 74-69 victory over No. 9 Kentucky to close the month of January. Subsequently, Vanderbilt's athletic department was fined $500,000 for a third violation of conference policy this season. The fine was paid to Kentucky.
Vanderbilt's first offense came in October when the Commodores upset the Crimson Tide in football, costing the athletic department $100,000. The second offense cost the department $250,000 after fans rushed the floor at Memorial Gymnasium following a victory over No. 6 Tennessee.
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My name is Joe Gaither and I graduated from the University of Alabama in 2018. I began my sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 I began my career with On SI writing and covering predominantly college athletics with a focus on the University of Alabama, University of Missouri and Vanderbilt.