BYU sporting events have an unmistakable atmosphere. Each game, match and meet is steeped in tradition and high energy.
LaVell Edwards Stadium ranks among the loudest stadiums in college football, and BYU has ranked in the top 25 nationally in paid attendance almost every year since the Marriott Center opened.
What most fans don’t consider, however, is the work behind the game itself. Every timeout feature, pregame moment and in-game tradition is carefully planned to keep the energy up.
Anna Metcalf is one of the key people making it happen, helping turn BYU athletics into more than just games, but something Cougar Nation keeps coming back for.
Metcalf is the assistant athletic director of marketing and fan experience, overseeing game production and event planning for football. Her department’s reach extends beyond the gridiron as well, handling all ticketed NCAA-sanctioned sports at BYU.
The first and most crucial step in doing her job well is to get fans in seats. From there, it’s just a matter of keeping them engaged and wanting to stay.
“It’s kind of like a chicken-and-the-egg theory. You can get people there, but if you don’t have an entertaining experience, they might not come back,” Metcalf said. “Or you might have a really entertaining experience, but if you haven't put the time in to get people there, then no one’s there to enjoy it.”
That’s where the power of advertising comes in, from billboards on the side of the highway to social media.
From the fan experience standpoint, that means coordinating with the Cougarettes and Cosmo, designing visuals for the video boards, selecting the right kind of music and planning giveaways.
Everything is intentional.
And while much of the planning might go unnoticed, the fans’ reactions make all the difference.
One moment that proved it came a couple of years ago, when Metcalf and her team decided to put Cosmo on top of the video board between the third and fourth quarters of a football game for the beloved “Y Clap” tradition.
The crowd had no idea it was coming — until Cosmo’s familiar face appeared high above the stadium.
“Their reaction to it was really, really cool,” Metcalf said. “We put a lot of time and effort into that.”
The impact of the job isn’t always measured in crowd noise, however. It can be much quieter and just as meaningful.
When an elementary school teacher reached out to Metcalf about a student who was struggling with family issues and bullying, she jumped at the opportunity to invite him to a football game and give the VIP experience.
The teacher emailed her afterward, saying that the chance to meet the players had completely changed the child’s demeanor and motivated him to work harder in school.
“Sometimes we get lost in these big ideas,” Metcalf said. “Sports has the opportunity to impact people so much more than we realize, and it’s really, really cool to see those moments up close, too.”
Creating these kinds of unforgettable moments for Cougar Nation is a constant grind. And the work doesn’t stop at football games.
“I would encourage Cougar Nation to check out all of our Olympic sports too, because we are putting in just as many resources and efforts into those … and making those game experiences just as great,” Metcalf said.
Metcalf’s impact on BYU athletics is even more impressive considering that she balances it all as a working mom.
“I’m fortunate that I work in an industry that empowers me as a mom,” Metcalf said. “I have a daughter, which makes it even more meaningful to me.”
She added how special it is that her job exposes her daughter to so many influential female coaches, athletes and leaders.
“Being able to have her up close and see that is what really excites me,” she said. “It makes the job worth the sacrifices to be a mom, but then also the sacrifices to be a mom to make the job worth it too.”
Balancing motherhood and a demanding job comes with its own set of challenges, including the assumption from some that her responsibilities at home might translate to leniency at work.
“Just because I’m not in the office nine-to-five doesn’t mean I’m not working the same amount of hours,” she said. “I woke up earlier than you, and I’m gonna stay up later than you because that’s how I have to get my work done.”
Maybe Cougar Nation should remind itself of this sacrifice the next time Cosmo finds himself on top of LaVell Edwards Stadium.