Odell Beckham Jr. may have ruined it for everyone.
USA Today reports that in the wake of the controversy surrounding Beckham Jr.’s presence on LSU’s sideline during the Tigers’ championship win, College Football Playoff officials are now considering changing the policy allowing figures such as former players and celebrities on the sideline during games.
“Being on the sidelines is a privilege,” College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock told USA Today. “Along with any privilege comes responsibility, because the focus should always on the people playing and coaching in the game, rather than on any visitors. The CFP will be reviewing its policy for allowing guests onto the sidelines and into locker rooms at future games.”
Related: LSU's Postgame Antics Raise Eyebrows
Beckham Jr., a former student-athlete at LSU, may have committed an NCAA violation by handing out money to some LSU players following the team’s victory. The exchanges were caught on video and uploaded to social media.
After initially claiming that the bills Beckham handed out were fake, it was later determined that some of the money was indeed real, legal tender.
Related: LSU QB Burrow Admits OBJ Cash Handouts Were Real
Beckham’s antics continued in the locker room, where he was captured on video slapping a security guard on the rear end. That earned him a misdemeanor simple battery charge. New Orleans police issued a warrant for Beckham’s arrest until the officer involved decided to drop the charge.
Sideline guests are typically left to the discretion of a school, and the practice of having non-team members on the sidelines is quite common, according to USA Today. Current CFP policy hands out “a set amount of credentials” for participants to use as they see fit.
“Of course, most are needed by coaches, trainers, managers, equipment people and other folks who have direct game duties,” Hancock told USA Today. “Players on the bench do not need credentials, of course."
