ACC adopts new field-storming policy that affects Clemson. Dabo reacts to change
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney is used to conducting his on-field postgame interviews at Memorial Stadium while surrounded by hundreds of fans.
That unique setup — a byproduct of Clemson allowing fans to access the field postgame in what’s called Gathering at the Paw — is going to look a little different in 2025 thanks to a new ACC policy surrounding field/court stormings.
The conference is now requiring its schools to create “event security plans” that allow visiting teams, personnel and officials to “safely exit the competition area” before fans enter the field of play, usually after a big upset win.
Clemson is uniquely impacted by the policy since it allows anyone to access the field after football games at Memorial Stadium to mingle with players, regardless of result. The tradition, known as Gathering at the Paw, dates back to the 1940s.
The “Paw” refers to the large orange tiger paw painted at Clemson’s midfield.
Swinney said he respects the rule change and is confident Clemson’s athletic department can find a reasonable way to keep Gathering at the Paw going.
“I think they’ll come up with a good plan that hopefully will achieve both objectives,” Swinney said Thursday at the ACC Kickoff media event. “Getting the opponents off the field properly ... but also being able to then get our team to the Paw, let the fans on, do the alma mater and honor the tradition that we’ve all enjoyed at Clemson for a long time.”
After ACC commissioner Jim Phillips announced the rule change Tuesday, Clemson athletics released a statement saying it supported the move. The department also urged Clemson fans to comply with new postgame guidance once it was finalized.
The ACC’s new policy applies specifically to football and men’s/women’s basketball and says schools’ plans must go into effect for 2025-26 and be reviewed by an independent third party by the start of the following athletic year.
Violating schools will be fined $50,000 for a first violation, $100,00 for a second violation and $200,000 for a third violation (and any subsequent violations) over a rolling two-year period. Fines will go to the ACC’s postgrad scholarship fund.
Swinney joked that Clemson is “used to field storming.” The Tigers allow fans on the field for every home game and, because they’re often an ACC/national contender and ranked team, get field stormed when they lose games on the road.
“So we get a lot of experience at it,” he said. “We’ve dealt with it.”
Swinney said he was unaware the ACC was creating a field storming policy until Neff, Clemson’s AD, informed him last week and reviewed the school’s plans.
Clemson has not finalized its field/court storming procedures, but for football the changes would likely involve keeping (or trying to keep) fans off the field for roughly 2-3 minutes after the clock hits 0:00 at Memorial Stadium.
The Tigers will get a good test of compliant fans are in Week 1. Clemson hosts LSU on Aug. 30 in a massive primetime clash that will likely be an AP Top 10 matchup.
“I think they’ve got a good plan in place,” Swinney said of Clemson athletics.
This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 4:05 PM.
