Saturday’s win over No. 15 Texas came with a price: $25,000.
That’s how much the Big 12 Conference fined TCU on Wednesday after celebrating fans stormed the field.
“While Saturday was certainly an exciting day for our students and fans, we understand and appreciate the Big 12 Conference’s sportsmanship policy and acknowledge that we fell short of that standard following the game,” TCU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeremiah Donati said in a statement.
In the public reprimand, the Big 12 commissioner said there’s no ban on fans coming on field, but teams are expected to provide adequate safety for athletes, coaches and officials.
“That expectation includes providing safe passage from the playing field to the locker room, and protection of the visiting team bench area.”
Big 12 Conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby
Horned Frog fans weren’t the only ones to celebrate on field Saturday.
The Big 12 also hit Kansas State, which beat No. 4 Oklahoma, with a reprimand and $25,000 fine; Kansas, which beat Texas Tech, just got a scolding.
The conference said that the schools were fined in accordance with its “principles and standards of sportsmanship,” which include respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, integrity and good citizenship.
Field storm from TCU Student Media on Vimeo.
During Tuesday’s weekly press conference, coach Gary Patterson, who has been critical of fan apathy in the past, was asked about students storming the field.
“The thing I liked about it is the relationship between the kids, the student section and the team…the kids wanted to celebrate with the team that was the biggest thing to me, the relationship because it’s important for your athletic teams to have a great relationship with your student body,” Patterson said.