There have been major changes to ROC passes since 2023, and this year is no different.
When purchased by a student, the ROC pass allowed entry into any home sporting event. In 2023, when BYU joined the Big 12 Conference, policy changes were made to the ROC pass requiring students to digitally request tickets for football and men's basketball games.
In an email sent from the ROC board Dec. 29, another major change was announced: The ROC section at LaVell Edwards Stadium would be consolidated to the south end zone.
In an effort to unify and enhance the student experience, the email stated that the change will increase access and availability, with the ROC extending to add more seats.
Some students were confused by the email and thought it meant there would be fewer seats for the ROC.
"My initial reaction was upset. I didn't understand why they were changing it. It was very confusing; I didn't understand it,” Darren Rice, a current ROC pass holder, said.
Anna Metcalf, the assistant athletic director of marketing and fan experience, cleared up the confusion. She explained that the change will be beneficial to both ROC pass holders and other fans attending the games.
"The east side and the south side of the ROC aren't always unified when it comes to cheers or things like that, so ultimately, we started to have the conversation of, would it be better to move the ROC together?” Metcalf said.
The ROC seats on the east side of the stadium will now be reserved for season ticket holders, and the season ticket seats above the band will be dedicated to the ROC section. This will open up seats that previously had to be covered so students wouldn't block the view of season ticket holders.
"The number of seats is actually increasing a little bit; we actually added a few ROC seats,” Metcalf said.
Many students seem excited about the change and the upcoming football season.
"It would be so nice if the whole ROC section was in one part of the stadium, especially the end zone, because that is so electric,” Rice said.
As the ROC section continued to grow, more improvements to seating and the overall experience are planned for the future.