About

CougConnect is a first-of-its-kind platform created at the request of BYU student athletes to enrich their lives through name, image and likeness (NIL). Our mission is to delight fans by giving them unprecedented access to premium content, events, and merchandise. We sincerely thank you for your support. Go Cougs!

The Beginning

CougConnect is a media organization covering BYU athletics — with a primary focus on football. We deliver exclusive player interviews, in-depth recruiting coverage, film breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes access you won’t find anywhere else. Our content is fueled by real relationships with players and insiders, giving fans an unmatched connection to the team. Whether you’re looking for expert analysis, unfiltered insight, or direct access to your favorite athletes, CougConnect is where BYU fans go to stay truly plugged in.

In the summer of 2021, we had several players over for a smoked rib dinner. I had a lot of mutual friends with the players from coaching HS football. That made these connections natural. I joked that with all the new NIL next time, they should be buying the ribs. That’s when things changed.

They got pretty serious & confided in me that in the summer, money got tight. They didn’t get their full cost of living stipend & part of the reason they came for the ribs was it helped them budget better. I heard stories about players doing doordash deliveries & giving plasma to make ends meet.

I actually told the players the first time this was brought up that I couldn’t. But when they left, the more I thought about it, the more I thought I could help if I could get the right team together for support.

So I messaged some lifelong friends whom I trusted & they said they were in. I needed the help to navigate taxes, website stuff & a few other things. But once we got started, it was an instant success.

We sold out our first event. The players & fans who came loved it We knew we had something special, it was the only company started with fans & players.

That first year I put in money to keep things going, upgrade equipment and even pay players to help us do new things. It has grown like crazy to where we did $100,000+ in deals & 90%+ of all the money brought in went to the players who helped us create content & do events.

The Why

Now I get it: a lot of money has gone to a lot of players in this era. But the “why” of CougConnect & what has made it special has never been about the dollars and cents. It’s always been about involving players and fans and connecting them.

The thing I am most proud of is the trust we have developed with players.

Fans as well.

Our subscribers are fiercely loyal & promote us. It’s because of what the players have told them about us. Our subscribers have DM group chats & talk to players at events all the time. So they know what we do first hand.

I would bet if you went and asked a bunch of players who they would trust to help them out in an emergency, they’d say CougConnect.

We have helped out in too many ways to list here, but I’ll share a recent one. A player had a small family emergency recently and sent this text.

We had helped out a few players in December. I guess money was tight for a few of their families at home & they were looking for extra opportunities. So when I got this text, I was worried if we could help out again.

The Future

At this point, CougConnect is no longer just an idea — it’s a full-blown media organization covering BYU athletics, with football front and center. We’re here to give fans real access: the stories, insights, and behind-the-scenes content you can’t get anywhere else. The goal has always been to bring people closer to the program, and now we’re doing that through interviews, recruiting coverage, film breakdowns, and more.

Going forward, we’re doubling down. More video. More podcasts. More content built on trust with players and coaches. We want CougConnect to be the place you check daily — not just for news, but for real connection to BYU football. We’re building something special here, and I’m grateful you’re part of it.