BYU is leaning hard into the business side of college football this year, and the price tags attached to its “fan experiences” are enough to make you blink twice.
The school’s online experiences shop is offering everything from birthday messages to in-game access, with some of the biggest asks aimed at the kind of moments that used to feel like part of the natural charm of going to a game. A visit from Cosmo, BYU’s Cougar mascot, during the Week 1 opener against Utah Tech is listed at $1,068.91.
The menu doesn’t stop there. BYU has also put together a slate of “gameday experiences” that it says are meant to “elevate your gameday experience.” Among the offerings before Big 12 games are a pregames on-field photoshoot for $241, front row at the Cougar Walk for $161, and an in-seat visit from Cosmo for $1,602.
That’s a steep price for something that, not all that long ago, was just part of the fun of being around a college football game. The idea of paying that much for a mascot strolls right into the kind of awkward math that makes the whole thing feel a little absurd.
Other options, including joining the pregame “Cougar Walk” or even checking out the team’s media room, also come with hefty costs attached.
BYU sold over 43,000 season tickets last year, so there’s clearly a strong appetite for football in Provo. Now the school is looking to cash in on the little extras too, and Cosmo - maybe the most carefree, feel-good part of the gameday atmosphere - is suddenly part of the price sheet.
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