Nobody epitomizes the ROC: Roar of Cougars like the current ROC board president.
ROC board president Josh Brown, right, cheers on the Cougars at the football game against ECU on Sept. 10. The ROC board is student-run organization that creates the in-game atmosphere for students. (Ari Davis)
BYU junior and current ROC board president Josh Brown has camped out for the front row of nearly every home football and basketball game for the past two years.
Brown got back from serving an LDS mission in Brazil in time for the winter 2013 semester and the unveiling of the new all-sport pass.
BYU marketing coordinator Kevin Kindred said the all-sport pass was changed to 'brand and unify the student section' and allow the 'most passionate fans' to be up front.
Brown met a few friends the summer after returning from his mission that loved to camp out for front row seats. He joined them and wanted to get even more involved in the organization of activities.
He was introduced with the sports marketing world and began helping out in any way he could.
“I worked hard, showed up and was passionate in what I was involved in,” Brown said.
That passion and work ethic eventually led to his nomination as ROC board president — a non-paid position.
The ROC board is a student-run, independent organization that works to create a better in-game atmosphere for students. Brown oversees the ROC board which runs the ROC line for games, monitors the ROC social media accounts, helps organize 'watch parties' and does event set-up. Brown leads the weekly meetings with the ROC board which are used to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming games. The approval process for bigger ideas goes through the sports marketing department.
“It’s kind of like, you scratch our back, we’ll scratch your back,” BYU marketing coordinator Kevin Kindred said.
Students in the ROC cheer at the football game against Boise State. The ROC board makes efforts to improve the game-day atmosphere for students. (Maddi Driggs)
For example, marketing may need help setting up the venue and so the ROC board will help them do that. In return, the ROC board may want to buy shirts for the students but not have enough money, so the marketing department helps.
“Josh understands both sides of things, he understands the process to go through to get things approved. He understands what BYU will allow and will not allow,” Kindred said. “He doesn’t want to break any rules or push the boundaries too far, but at the same time he understands that students want things to be fun and creative.
Since its inception, the ROC has been a growing brand. Brown has been able to bring his abilities to help further that progress.
“Josh brings a ton of passion. He’s at every single sporting event and he loves it. Plus, he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. He creates a culture of friendliness in the ROC and that’s huge,” said Brian Fagan, a founder of the ROC.
Another strength Brown brings as the ROC board president is his ability to use his friendliness to unify the ROC. Brown's major is social science teaching and he says it goes to show that not just one type of person can be in the ROC.
“When people hear that I'm a social science teaching major, they say ‘oh, that’s not what I would have expected for someone working in sports marketing,’” Brown said. “But really it shows that if anybody is passionate about it and wants to get involved, there’s an opportunity for them to be able to do that.”
Whether in the student section or on the ROC board, there’s always a place for someone who is passionate about BYU sports.