You Won’t Believe Who Agreed to Pay Texas Tech’s $50,000 Fine
After the Big 12 issued its "public reprimand" and $50,000 fine to Texas Tech after this weekend's storming of the field, Texas Tech fans are fed up.
Not only does this public shaming feel unnecessary and a bit immature, but the university understands that its own students were at fault for some of the incidents that took place on the field that day. The school recognized that a Longhorns player getting shoved by a fan was unacceptable, and is actively against that kind of behavior.
Sure, a fine seems reasonable enough, but a public reprimand seems a bit hypocritical after the Big 12 shared a video of the field being stormed on their official Twitter, taking advantage of the views the content would gather. You'd think an organization that condones something so harshly wouldn’t dream of promoting that behavior through its content, right?
While we can't escape the public slap on the wrist, Texas Tech has some amazing partners that always support their Red Raiders. After hearing about the $50,000 fine, City Bank offered to cover the payment.
Texas Tech’s Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt stated in response: "We are grateful for City Bank and their long-term support of Texas Tech Athletics. We have passionate fans including our great partners at City Bank and their president Cory Newsom."
Newsom also commented on the situation, stating, "We support Texas Tech in their effort to provide a safe and enjoyable gameday environment for everyone involved. We also recognize the level of excitement a victory over a long-time rival can have on the Texas Tech student body and fan base. We know that Kirby and the athletics department staff have a strong plan in place and will make any necessary adjustments to keep Jones AT&T Stadium a safe, but challenging place for our opponents to play. At the end of the day, we are proud of Texas Tech and proud supporters of our community."
As Newsom said, Texas Tech cares about the safety of their students, staff, and fans, alongside anyone else who might step foot into Raiderland. We know that Texas Tech will do what they need to in order to maintain a safe environment for everyone, but hopefully Red Raiders can still enjoy their celebrations and storm the field for our future victories without shoving around the opposing team.