I don't mind having KSL, as long as it does not take away from the game experience. When I first started going to BYU home games, consistently, I too, wore headphones. I wanted to hear the info about plays, that you don't get from Grandma Sycamores advertisements, but it stopped me from talking and enjoying the game with my wife.Dopping the headset, literally changed everything for me for the better.
Even though her parents had had season tickets since before she was born, my wife had no clue about football. She would go with her dad, but mostly for treats and dinner. Her dad would never explain the game to her, and she had no clue what was going on. The headphones kept him into it, but she had never sat by someone that has fun, goes nuts, and rarely sits. Then I came along, and it was a totally different fan experience for her. It didn't take long before not only did she want to go to every game, but my mother in law stopped giving the other ticket to her other kids, and began attending every single game with us. The 3 of us got to know all the fans around us, while her dad was in his own little world, and we partied.
Now, I have one of the craziest BYU fans in the section, as my wife, and she knows the game. She went from asking me where the yellow line on the field went(the 1st down indicator on tv lol), to calling out penalties and player's stats. Even when I was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease (just after we were married) and underwent a lot of different surgeries and medical procedures, money was tight, but my wife surprised me by buying 2 season tickets right next to her parents. When we went down to our 1st Thurs Hero day, it was amazing to see that she knew all of the players' names, and what position they played. She had listened to me during those games, and truly gained a love for the game. My health and disease changed a lot of the activities that we used to be able to do as a couple, but BYU games became our thing, and made the 180 mile (round trip) drive completely worth it, sick or not. When I couldn't drive, or for the 5 years that I had my feeding tube with continuous feeds, she loved our BYU time so much, that she practically carried me down there.
The past 12 years, we have not missed a home game, and have made it to 2 bowl games. Between the games and many different Thur Hero events, we have had so many memories, but this season has been the best. After trying for 13 years of trying, we finally have a little Cougar Cub fan. Taking my son to the game, the past 2 games, has been a bucket list moment, that I never thought would happen. I was able to finally get a family selfie at LES, and hold my son during a BYU win. Pretty awesome moment, and I am looking forward to a lifetime of passing on Cougar fandom to him and any future children that God allows us to have.