UA fined after fans storm the court following victory over Duke

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Southeastern Conference announced on November 30 that the University of Arkansas will be fined for a violation of the league’s access to competition area policy due to fans entering the court following the team’s win against No. 7 Duke 80-75.

According to the SEC, Arkansas has been fined $100,000 for a first offense under the league’s revised access to competition area policy that was adopted at the SEC Springs Meetings in 2023.

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The release says 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.”

According to the release, 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 offense.

For a nonconference contest, the release says fines levied against schools for violation of the access to competition area policy are placed into the SEC Post-Graduate Scholarship Fund. For conference games, fines are paid to the opposing school.