With BYU’s emergence into the Big 12 and strong returns on the gridiron and hardwood, Director of Athletics Brian Santiago has described the current fan interest as truly unprecedented. He told Deseret News on August 12, 2025, “there’s never been a time quite like this,” reflecting on how quickly football and men’s basketball season tickets sold out, while student all-sports ROC passes disappeared within an hour—despite a surge in demand from nearly 20,000 students in the queue for only 14,000 available passes.
Santiago and his team know the overwhelming enthusiasm has inadvertently sidelined some longtime, dedicated fans. He emphasized that while they followed the same season-ticket processes as in prior years, the demand simply exceeded expectations—both in scope and speed.
To address this, Santiago reaffirmed BYU’s goal: “We want all of Cougar Nation to have total access to BYU sports.” He acknowledged frustrations and assured fans they are exploring adjustments to improve fairness and transparency moving forward.
In the short term, fans who missed out on season tickets still have options. Single-game tickets for both football and basketball will be made available, especially during student breaks, when more seats are expected to free up. And for basketball, BYU’s national non-conference itinerary—including marquee venues like Madison Square Garden, TD Garden (in Boston), and Orlando—provides fans with more chances to catch games, including on road trips.
On CougarBoards, Santiago’s comments resonated with fans who echoed that even though the athletic department anticipated high demand, the actual scale caught many by surprise. As one user summarized: “they knew demand would be high, but even still they were blown away by the demand…did not expect this level of demand.”
Underlying these developments is a broader shift in strategy and economics. In June, Deseret News noted that re-seating plans at LaVell Edwards Stadium and the Marriott Center, alongside markedly higher ticket prices—especially in light of Big 12 membership—reflect both supply constraints and a new revenue model tied to success.
Despite the growing pains, the sentiment across Cougar Nation remains one of pride and excitement. Santiago applauded the fan base’s passion—especially the student ROC section, calling it “passionate, beyond passionate”—as emblematic of BYU’s deep-rooted support.
In summary, Brian Santiago is navigating uncharted territory: balancing record-breaking demand with fairness and access. By preserving some single-game allocations, expanding national venue opportunities, and pledging to refine processes moving forward, he aims to ensure that every member of Cougar Nation—new or old, student or alumnus—can feel included and energized by BYU athletics.
