University of Tennessee fined $100K by SEC after fans rush field, remove goalposts
Missing two goalposts and facing a hefty fine, the University of Tennessee is calling on its fans to help ease the financial burden.
Last weekend’s electrifying 52-49 win over Alabama had Volunteer fans in a frenzy, causing them to rush the field moments after a game-winning field goal and tarring down both goalposts while celebrating.
The SEC (Southeastern Conference) announced on Monday that the University of Tennessee will be hit with a $100,000 fine for allowing fans to access the competition area.
The school itself is asking for $150,000 to cover some of the fine and to replace the goalposts.
Following Saturday’s win, school president Randy Boyd was seen euphorically saying he didn’t care how much the goalposts cost to replace.
There’s no doubt why the fans caused such pandemonium while celebrating.
The Vols’ win over the Crimson Tide snapped a 15-year losing streak against Alabama, with their last win on Oct. 21, 2006.
With a home game on Oct. 22 against the University of Tennessee at Martin quickly approaching, the Vols’ desperately need to replace its goalposts.
The Tennessee football program took to Twitter on Sunday to wittily ask its loyal fan base for help.
After being ripped down and carried out of Neyland Stadium, the goalposts were seen being tossed into the Tennessee River.
But, one fraternity at UT is claiming they now have it.
“30 minutes later, it winds up in the back of our house,” Adam Fuller, a UT student and member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, told WVLT.
Members of Sigma Chi say after the goalposts were tossed into the river, and the majority of Vol fans went on with their celebrations elsewhere, about 15 guys picked one of the goalposts out from the river and carried it to their frat house.
“A random guy came over with a saw, and we were just cutting it up for a while,” Rider Monsour told WVLT.
Monsour estimates that the goalpost was cut up into about 100 pieces, with people flocking around the cutting, begging for a piece of Tennessee Vols’ history.
Sigma Chi says they kept a large portion of the goalpost taken from the river, with people still coming by the fraternity asking for a sliver.
The fraternity even claims someone offered them upwards of $1,000 for the remaining pieces of the goalpost, but they’re firm on keeping it.
The goalposts weren’t the only thing taken from Neyland stadium after the win.
People were seen ripping grass patches from the field as souvenirs, with some already selling their chunks on eBay.
Listings have been posted on eBay for a piece of the grass on which the Tennessee Volunteers beat the Crimson Tide, ranging from $1.25 to $34.
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