Bells and Whistles: BYU going all out for first Big 12 home football game
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- BYU fans enjoy Cougar Canyon before the start of a football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, September 02, 2023.
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- A trio of BYU fans take a selfie during pre-game festivities before the Cougars play Sam Houston at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
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- BYU fans greet football players during the Cougar Walk before the start of a game against Sam Houston at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
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- A young BYU football fan plays catch before the start of a game against Southern Utah at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
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- A view of LaVell Edwards Stadium before the start of a football game against Southern Utah on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
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- BYU football coach Kalani Sitake greets fans at LaVell Edwards Stadium before the start of a game against Sam Houston on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
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- BYU fans prepare for the start of a game against Sam Houston at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
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- BYU fans enjoy pre-game festivities at LaVell Edwards Stadium before the Cougars play Southern Utah on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
The message from the BYU ticket office started making its way around the school’s sports marketing department Wednesday afternoon: The football game against Cincinnati on Friday, the first-ever Big 12 contest in LaVell Edwards Stadium, was a sellout.
“That gets all of us fired up,” BYU Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Operations David Almodova said. “We’re really excited to welcome a packed house at LES on Friday. We were hoping it would be a sellout. Sometimes, Friday nights are difficult, but there’s something about a sold out LaVell Edwards Stadium.”
There will be more than 60,000 fans for the game, including a sold out ROC student section. Almodova and his crew are charged with providing a knockout Big 12 experience for those fans, both outside the stadium before the game and inside during the game. The external unit that covers marketing and fan experience, including students, is about 40-50 people. When added to the spirit squad, Cosmo, video and audio engineers and the Cougarettes, there are over 100 people on game day to provide entertainment for fans.
While the Wasatch Mountains provide one of the more picturesque venues in the country for college football, BYU doesn’t make a lot of lists for best pre-game experience. In a recent Bookies.com list, Provo was listed as No. 12 out of 14 Big 12 teams, mainly because there is no alcohol allowed on campus.
There are plenty of pre-game tailgate parties going on before the game, just dry ones.
Cougar Canyon, staged in front of LaVell Edwards Stadium on Provo Canyon Road, has been a fixture for several years. Sports Nation GameDay and BYU Radio do their pre-game shows from Cougar Canyon, which is lined with food vendors and booths as well as a stage for live music. The area can get a little crowded as fans have begun arriving at games earlier, according to Almodova.
“One of the things we’ve been talking about for a while is expanding our game day footprint,” Almodova said. “We’ve added ‘The Backyard’ at Cougar Canyon (just north of the stadium) which is just another place fans can interact and have fun with their families before the game.”
The Backyard is free to enter and includes inflatables, mini-golf, merchandise stands, food vendors a big screen and a stage, where BYU’s cultural dance group “Living Legends” will perform.
Other pregame activities include the popular Cougar Walk, where the BYU team and coaches enter the stadium and the BYU Marching Band making their pre-game appearance.
There’s a new digital parking system this season as well as new electronic entry protocols that required some adjustment by both fans and external operations.
“It used to be you could kind of walk in to the stadium whenever,” Almodova said. “There have been a lot more people early because of the Cougar Walk and Cougar Canyon. The first game kind of caught us off guard and Gate 1 into the stadium was packed. So Game 2 we had to make some changes. Friday night will be interesting since it’s an 8:15 p.m. game.”
Once inside the stadium, fans will notice some special additions for the inaugural Big 12 home game. The end zones will be painted royal blue for the first time and will remain that color all season. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and other league officials will be at the game.
BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe will perform the “Lighting the Y” ceremony — after a little convincing, anyway.
“We asked Tom and he said, ‘This is not about me,'” Almodova said. “We talked him into it as a celebration of being in the Big 12 and to thank all those who came before us. It’s been 50 years of athletics and coaches and programs of greatness.”
Holmoe posted a message to the ROC on social media: “The day is nearing to experience the most exciting and LOUDEST game day EVER at BYU. The 1st Big XII FB game in BYU history. LaVell’s house MUST shake, rock and roar like no other game – EVER. Many Cougs have gone before to bring us here. Friday YOU bring the thunder!”
It’s rare for the pre-game at LaVell Edwards Stadium to feature a live national anthem singer but on Friday former American Idol contestant Kenedi Anderson (daughter of BYU Football Director of Player Personnel and Recruiting Justin Anderson) will perform.
“She’s living in Los Angeles and working on signing with a label,” Almodova said. “She’s getting ready to move to Nashville. She sang the national anthem at our Gonzaga home basketball game last year and was amazing.”
BYU President Shane Reece and Advancement Vice President Keith Vorkink will be flag bearers in the pre-game.
Fireworks and other pyrotechnics are scheduled and a special third quarter break activity is planned. At halftime, a presentation by the BYU Marching Band will include a tribute to the Big 12 with flags from each of the 14 teams, along with more fireworks.
Almodova’s group did walk-throughs on Wednesday and Thursday and will do a shorter version on Friday to make sure everything is ready to go.
“Friday night under the lights, it’s going to be awesome,” Almodova said. “Overall, things have been good this year but we want it to be great. We’re already talking about what to do next year. This is so exciting for us and for the fans in the first Big 12 game in Provo. Our goal is to help entertain and be part of that Big 12 enhancement. We hope that on Friday night the fans will come here and have a great experience.”
