CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has imposed a $50,000 fine on Georgia Tech following a violation of the league’s event security policy during their September 13 football game against Clemson University.
Georgia Tech fans rushed the field after their team’s victory over Clemson, directly violating the ACC’s updated event security policy, according to an ACC statement. The conference implemented this policy to ensure the safety of student-athletes, coaches, officials, and fans during and after games.
The ACC’s New Security Policy
The ACC introduced its enhanced event security policy on July 22 during the conference’s Football Kickoff event. The policy covers football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball for the 2025-26 academic year.
Key requirements include:
- Only student-athletes, coaches, officials, and authorized personnel are permitted in competition areas before, during, and after games
- Visiting team personnel and officials must be able to safely exit before fans can access the field or court
- Violations result in escalating fines over a two-year period
Financial Penalties for Violating ACC’s New Security Policy
The ACC has established a tiered fine structure that increases with repeat offenses:
- First violation: $50,000
- Second violation: $100,000
- Third and subsequent violations: $200,000
Violations accumulate by school rather than by individual sport, meaning a basketball violation would count toward football penalties and vice versa.
Related Article: 7 Steps to Improving Stadium Security and Large Event Safety
All fines collected under this policy benefit ACC student-athletes through the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Fund, which supports conference athletes pursuing graduate education.
Georgia Tech’s $50,000 fine represents the first enforcement action under the new policy, setting a precedent as the ACC works to balance fan excitement with safety concerns across its member institutions.