UCF pays $100,000 after fan chants at football game

The University of Central Florida faces a $100,000 fine from the Big 12 Conference. The penalty follows derogatory chants aimed at BYU fans during a football game last Saturday in Orlando, Florida.

Conference officials stated that UCF followed protocols by removing some fans from the stadium. However, the league noted that discriminatory behavior has no place in the Big 12. The fine will fund student education initiatives.

Videos shared online show some spectators chanting, “f, the Mormons.” The conference release did not specify the exact words used, but it confirmed the conduct was discriminatory.

The Big 12 announced it will update its policy to include in-game penalties for continued discriminatory conduct. A first offense requires a minimum fine of $100,000 and a formal warning. A second confirmed incident during the same game triggers an in-game penalty, such as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty or an unsportsmanlike two-shot technical foul.

If discriminatory behavior continues, teams may face an additional $500,000 fine. Fans removed for such conduct will be banned from all athletic events for the academic year.

This is the latest fine against a Big 12 school over chants directed at BYU, which is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Earlier this year, Oklahoma State paid a $50,000 fine for similar chants during a men's basketball game.