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Big 12 schools to face penalties for court storming

La Salle v Kansas State

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 22: Fans wear full bodysuits that read ‘Airhead Moment’ in the first half of the game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the La Salle Explorers during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 22, 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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The Big 12 announced on Wednesday that member schools will now be punishing member schools if they fail to prevent their students from storming the court or rushing the field.

The league’s commissioner, Bob Bowlsby, is the man tasked with doling out those punishments, which will range from fines to potentially losing home games.

“I don’t know that there’s anything off the table in dealing with those issues,” Bowlsby told the AP after the league’s spring meetings in Irving, Texas. “I think I’ve been given broad prerogatives to deal with those issues.”

These changes are a direct result of recent issues that the conference has had with fans running on the floor after big wins. In February, Kansas State was publicly reprimanded by the conference after they were unable to protect Kansas players and coaches after the Wildcats pulled off an upset win over their rivals. In that court storm, Bill Self and the Kansas staff got pinned up against pinned up against the scorer’s table while at least one K-State fan, who was identified by the police, targeted a Kansas player.

This is the right move by the Big 12. Court storming needs to be eliminated from the sport, at least in its current form.