College athletics conference, the Big 12, fined the University of Colorado Boulder $50,000 after football fans chanted derogatory slurs towards their opponent on Sept. 27. However, the university went unpunished after hundreds, if not thousands, of fans rushed the field on Oct. 11. The Big 12 completely disregarding the actions that could have put fans, players and coaches in immediate, physical danger is negligent, irresponsible and inexcusable.
Field rushing can create the perfect conditions for potentially deadly phenomena like stampedes and crowd crushes. As thousands of people rush forward, some trip, fall and get trapped under the weight of the people running behind them. Those who stop to help the fallen face the same fate. Once trapped under the crowd, their bones snap like twigs and their lungs fail to fully expand. People are crushed and suffocated under hundreds of pounds of human bodies.
This is exactly what happened on Oct. 30, 1993. After a University of Wisconsin football game, fans stormed the field. In doing so, they became pinned against the metal barrier holding them back and squashed under the weight of the people behind them. An offensive lineman was seen dragging trampled students out from under the crowd. There were 12 people found without a pulse who were later resuscitated; 69 others were injured and transported to a hospital.
More recently, on Sept. 27, 19 people were injured and hospitalized after storming the field at a University of Virginia football game. Colorado fans were fortunate to not become severely injured by their reckless actions this time around; however, Cavaliers fans cannot say the same.
The Atlantic Coast Conference rightfully fines its schools anywhere from $50,000-200,000 for field storming, recognizing just how dangerous it is and the necessity of repercussions for schools who engage in such activity. The Big 12 desperately needs to follow in the ACC’s footsteps, as failing to do so normalizes field rushing and blinds people to its blatant dangers.
“I want to see the kids rush the field. I absolutely love it,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said in response to the field rush.
Hearing this come from a coach — an authority figure who should know better — is deplorable.
“I mean, hats off to our security team. They do a good job ushering me in [to the locker room]. But I love to see it. I really do,” he added.
Sanders gleefully shares his excitement about field rushing while praising his security for getting him to safety, acknowledging that at the very least his security was not blind to the threat posed by the crowd. Had Sanders seen the 19 people crushed and trampled under their peers, he may have chosen his words far more wisely, but that should not be what it takes for him and others to realize just how dangerous field rushing is.
It is the Big 12’s responsibility to ensure the safety of the attendees at its schools’ sporting events. It was right to fine Colorado for derogatory statements made towards BYU, but the Big 12 needs to address and penalize what puts people in immediate danger. When bones are broken and hearts are stopped, something must be done.
