The University of Tennessee athletic department is asking for donations to buy new goalposts for its football stadium after fans tore down the existing uprights during an on-field celebration following the team’s Saturday victory over Alabama.
The crowdfunding site for the new goalposts shows the fundraising campaign has already surpassed its goal of $150,000 within days of its launch.
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE FINED $100,000 FOR ON-FIELD CELEBRATION FOLLOWING WIN OVER ALABAMA
It had been 16 years since the University of Tennessee had defeated their University of Alabama rivals before winning Saturday’s game 52-49 on a last-second field goal. The winning kick sent the sellout crowd at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee into a frenzy that saw thousands of fans rush the field and eventually tear down the goalposts.
Videos circulated online shortly thereafter of fans marching the goalposts out of the stadium and down the streets of Knoxville before throwing them into the Tennessee River.
“Y’all remember how we tore the goalposts down, hauled em out of Neyland and dumped em in the Tennessee River?” the university’s football team wrote in a tweet. “Yeah that was awesome. Anywho, turns out that in order to play next week’s game, we need goalposts on our field. Could y’all help us out?”
Y’all remember how we tore the goalposts down, hauled em out of Neyland and dumped em in the Tennessee River?
Yeah that was awesome.
Anywho, turns out that in order to play next week’s game, we need goalposts on our field. Could y’all help us out? ? https://t.co/NSMoL3SzPX
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 16, 2022
In a statement to CBS News, university athletic director Danny White said that the crowdfunding for the new goalposts was “a fun way to invite Vol Nation to continue in the celebration.”
“We had heard before and during the game that the fans would support a celebration, no matter the cost, so we leaned into that enthusiasm,” White said.
The outlet reported that the cost of the new uprights ranged from $10,000 to $20,000 per goalpost and did not include installation costs. The university also must pay for repairs to the field.
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The university was fined $100,000 for the on-field celebration by the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference, which prohibits such celebrations in its “Access to Competition Area” policy.
