Big 12 Fines UCF $100,000 for Anti-Mormon Chants at BYU Game

The Big 12 Conference fined the University of Central Florida $100,000 after fans at a Saturday football game chanted a hateful phrase aimed at BYU and its players. The chant targeted members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose followers are sometimes called Mormons. UCF security removed some fans from the stadium during the game after the chanting began. The Big 12 said this kind of behavior is not acceptable and will not be ignored.

The Big 12 also updated its sportsmanship rules to create stronger punishments for schools whose fans break these rules again. Under the new policy, a first offense brings a minimum fine of $100,000. The school also receives a formal warning and must take steps to stop the behavior from happening again. If fans at the same school repeat the offense during the same game, the penalties get much tougher.

A second violation during the same game can lead to a competitive penalty on the field or court. In football, that means a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. In basketball, the opposing team gets two free throws from a technical foul. On top of that, the school could face an extra $500,000 fine, which is five times the starting fine.

Fans who are removed from a game for discriminatory behavior will be banned from all college athletic events for the entire school year. The Big 12 said the money from UCF's $100,000 fine will go toward student education programs. The conference praised UCF for following pregame safety plans and for removing fans quickly during the game. Even so, the conference said those steps were not enough to avoid the fine.

UCF was not the first school to face punishment over this kind of chant at a BYU game. Last year, the University of Colorado was fined $50,000 after its fans used the same chant during a football game against BYU. Earlier this year, Oklahoma State was fined $50,000 for the chant during a basketball game. Fans from several other schools — including Arizona, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Oregon, and USC — have also used the chant in the past.

BYU is the main university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church itself says it discourages people from using the word 'Mormon' as a replacement for the church's full name or for the word 'members.' The word 'Mormon' comes from a religious text the church uses called The Book of Mormon. Church leaders say using the full name of the church is important to them and to their faith.