The Beginning
In the summer of 2021, we had several players over for a smoked rib dinner. Coaching high school football meant a lot of mutual friends, so the connections were natural. I joked that next time, they should be buying the ribs. That's when things changed.
The players confided that in the summer, money got tight — stories of DoorDash deliveries and giving plasma to make ends meet. I told them at first that I couldn't help. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I could — with the right team behind it.
We sold out our first event. The players and fans who came loved it. It was the only company started by fans and players together — and 90%+ of the money brought in went to the players who helped us create content and run events.
"If you asked players who they'd trust to help them out in an emergency, they'd say CougConnect."
The Future
CougConnect is now a full media organization covering BYU athletics, football front and center. Going forward we're doubling down: more video, more podcasts, more content built on trust with players and coaches. We want to be the place you check daily — not just for news, but for real connection to BYU football.