re: SEC Commissioners regulations ( inside)

Interrupted Game Procedures. All personnel, including Athletics Directors, game management personnel, game officials, coaches, players, and Conference office staff, shall use their best effort to ensure each Conference contest is played to its conclusion. The Conference recognizes, however, emergencies may arise that make a contest’s completion impossible or inadvisable. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to, severe inclement weather, natural or man-made disasters, power failures and spectator interference.

Contests should be delayed, relocated, suspended, canceled, postponed or terminated (see definitions below) when circumstances exist such that commencement or continuation of play would pose a threat to the safety of game participants.

1. Definitions.
A. Delay - To delay a contest is to delay the start of a contest until a later time on the same date.
B. Relocate - To relocate a contest is to change the location of the competition.
C. Suspend - To suspend a contest is to temporarily halt play for a short duration after the contest begins.
D. Cancel - To cancel a contest is to nullify it either before or after it begins and to make no provision for
rescheduling it or for including its score or other performance statistics in Conference records.
E. Postpone - To postpone a contest is to (a) defer its starting time to a later date, or to (b) suspend it after
play has begun and make provision to resume it at a later date with all scores and other performance
statistics up to the point of postponement added to those achieved in the resumed portion of the contest.
F. Terminate - To terminate a contest is to end it short of a full-designated duration of play, officially
record it as a completed contest, and make no provision to resume it at a later date.

2. Authority. Authority to delay or relocate a contest is vested with the home institution’s Athletics Director or designated senior level administrator. Authority to suspend a contest is vested with the officials. Authority to cancel, postpone or terminate a contest is vested only with the Commissioner or his/her designee.

3. Guidelines.

A. The home institution’s Athletics Director or designated senior level administrator shall have the authority to determine whether a contest should, prior to its start, be temporarily delayed until a later time on the same date. Once a contest has started, the decision to suspend play is the responsibility of the game officials.

B. If extenuating circumstances occur that necessitate the relocation of the contest site within the same city, the home institution’s Athletics Director or designated senior level administrator shall have the authority to determine whether and where the contest should be relocated. The decision should be made in consultation with the visiting team. The alternate site must be in full compliance with all NCAA playing rules and regulations governing that particular sport.

C. If a contest is postponed prior to its start for any reason, the two participating institutions, in consultation with the Commissioner or his/her designee, shall attempt to reschedule the game at a later time or date. If the contest cannot be rescheduled, the Commissioner shall cancel the contest.

D. If a contest is suspended for any reason after play has begun, the contest must be resumed as soon as conditions are deemed safe by the officials in consultation with the home team game management personnel.

E. A suspended contest may not be resumed after midnight local time, or two hours following the point of suspension, whichever is later.

F. If a contest is suspended after play has begun and cannot resume before midnight local time, the two institutions, in consultation with the Commissioner, shall attempt to declare the game postponed, and resume it at a later date.

G. In the event a contest cannot be resumed at a later date, the following will apply:
(1) If the contest is suspended prior to the completion of one half of play (halftime), the Commissioner shall declare the contest canceled.
(2) If the contest is suspended after the completion of one half of play (halftime), the Commissioner shall declare the contest terminated.
In the event a contest is delayed or suspended and it does not appear play will be resumed on that date, the Athletics Directors (or designated representatives) of both participating institutions, game management personnel and the Conference office representative (if available) shall meet with the game officials in the officials’ dressing room, or another suitable location nearby. The Conference office representative shall communicate with the Commissioner, who has the sole authority to declare a game canceled, postponed or terminated. If the Conference office representative is not on site, the home institution’s Athletics Director or designated senior level administrator shall contact the appropriate Conference staff liaison. The home team game management, in consultation with the Conference office representative, is responsible for disseminating information regarding such a decision to the teams, media and general public.