BYU fills 99% of its stadium while national attendance drops

BYU football has kept its stadium nearly full while the rest of the country struggles to get fans through the turnstiles. The Cougars averaged 99.02% of stadium capacity in 2024 and sold out five games in 2025. In the first four games of the 2026 season, the team has drawn an average crowd of 64,574. That number includes a peak of 65,179 fans during a 28-24 win over then-No. 2 Notre Dame, which was the largest crowd in Provo since 2004.

This success stands in contrast to data showing that unused ticket rates in power-conference football hover between 13% and 15%. Some programs like Rutgers and Maryland report even steeper declines, with unused rates reaching 35% and 39% respectively. A study of 353 games found that while announced attendance totaled 15.4 million, scanners only counted 11 million tickets. The rise of streaming options, such as YouTube TV’s Quad Box, has allowed fans to watch multiple games at once, pulling them away from the in-stadium product.

BYU officials credit a deliberate expansion of the game-day experience for keeping fans engaged. David Almodova, the senior associate athletic director for external operations, stated that his marketing and game experience staff has nearly tripled since the team joined the Big 12 Conference. He described game day as a celebration of the university that involves more than just the football on the field. Anna Metcalf, the assistant athletic director for marketing and fan experience, noted that the team works to ensure the experience remains high level regardless of the opponent.

The program has introduced new elements to fill the time between plays and before kickoff. A pregame area called Cougar Canyon features live music, vendors, and a television studio set. The team also created the Backyard at Cougar Canyon, a grassy area with giant inflatables for children. The most notable addition is the third-quarter break, which features fire-knife dancers and music by Steve Aoki and Kanye West. Almodova said fans often stay in their seats specifically for this performance.

The school aims to keep the experience accessible to families who may not be able to afford premium seating or travel. Metcalf emphasized that many attendees are experiencing their first BYU football game and that the program wants to avoid diminishing their experience. Both the university and the sponsoring church state that athletics are a self-sustaining entity and that general church funds are not used for player compensation. The current framework ensures that the core presentation remains consistent whether the opponent is a power-conference rival or a smaller program.