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Here's when Clemson football fans can run onto Memorial Stadium field under new ACC rule
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- Here's when Clemson football fans can run onto Memorial Stadium field under new ACC rule
CLEMSON — Clemson football fans will have to wait until after the school's alma mater to gather at the paw at Memorial Stadium .
Clemson 's plan is for fans to "stay in their seats and then may access the field via the Hill and the West stands" once the alma mater is over and the visiting team exits Frank Howard Field. It is a change from past years where Tigers fans ran onto the field after every win or loss, a tradition that became "Gathering at the Paw" in 2003 but dates back to 1942.
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This tradition alteration comes after the ACC modified its safety requirements for field and court storming for football and basketball games in July and introduced a fine structure if the policy is broken: $50,000 for the first offense, $100,000 for the second and $200,000 for the third time. The timelines for fines will reset every two years, and the money will go toward the ACC's scholarship fund.
"We're going to abide by and support the new ACC policy, so we need our fans to help with that," Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said Aug. 5. "In recognition of that we're trying to balance respecting the unique tradition and continuing the unique tradition we have while also respecting the policies that are at hand and just the safety environment of what the post game field looks like, particularly after charged games."
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has supported the university's efforts, calling it a "good plan." Clemson spokesperson Jeff Kallin said Aug. 11 that the athletic department is working on a "detailed education plan" to inform visitors and students about the change with ideas including emails, social media messages and a video message on Memorial Stadium's video board.
Kallin said Clemson's plan to get the opposing team off the field will be consistent with previous years with event staffers lining up and creating a funnel out to the 30-yard line for players and coaches to go to the vistor's locker room. He added the ACC will be "thoughtful" on how the league issues fines if a small group of fans rush the field early opposed to a majority.
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Clemson's first test for its modified tradition will be against LSU on Aug. 30 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) at Memorial Stadium. The game is a top-10 matchup and a rematch of the 2020 national championship as both teams have Hall of Fame-level coaching (Swinney, LSU's Brian Kelly) and Heisman contenders (Clemson's Cade Klubnik , LSU's Garrett Nussmeier ).
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Off the field, it will be Clemson football 's first game allowing alcohol sales after testing it during its spring game and the Savannah Bananas event this year. Neff said Clemson will add more staff for this marquee matchup and evaluate the stadium's plan on a game-by-game basis as the Tigers will have seven home games in 2025 and potentially one more if they are seeded Nos. 5-8 in the College Football Playoff.
Neff also recognizes staffers can do only so much to contain an 80,000-plus capacity venue. He is calling on Tigers fans to adjust to this new change to avoid ACC penalties.
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"I'll double down and say it again: We need our fans' help and support and recognition of that," Neff said.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: Here's when fans can go onto field after new ACC rule
