Cal donor revolt ends, NIL leaders collaborate with general manager Ron Rivera on football donation drive

Cal Athletics appears to have handed the keys over to the Golden Bear legend to manage the football team.

Credit: Ron Rivera

The Cal donor revolt appears to be over. Cal NIL Collective leaders have combined forces with general manager Ron Rivera and head coach Justin Wilcox to launch a $1 million fundraising drive for the football program. All donations up to $500,000 will get matched by the leaders in this group.

More details can be found here on how to donate and rewards for donation levelling.

Cal Family,

I’m thrilled to announce the launch of our Fight for California Challenge, a pivotal initiative that will take Cal Football to the next level.

Stephanie and I, along with Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox and Kevin and Jeanette Kennedy, have each pledged to match every dollar raised, up to $500,000.

This moment presents a unique opportunity for Cal to lead the conference. Giving now provides Cal Football with the critical resources needed to compete for a conference championship and beyond. If we fall short, we risk falling behind. Recruiting and retaining top-tier student-athletes and coaches is essential to our program’s long-term success, and your support empowers us to be more competitive than ever before.

You’ve heard about the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics. The upcoming House Settlement will have major implications for how college football operates moving forward. I know we have turned to you for support in the past, but the need has never been greater than it is today.

We're in a new era. The rise of the transfer portal, recruiting dynamics, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), and the push for increased revenue have fundamentally changed the landscape of college athletics, particularly football.

Cal has always risen to meet the moment. We've led with innovation and embraced change when it mattered most. Now is another one of those moments.

So please, join me and make a gift today. Let’s win. Let’s compete for ACC championships and College Football Playoff berths. Let’s show the nation what Cal is all about.

Investments will flow through the Cal Football Strategic Opportunity and Excellence Fund. Resources will be allocated at the discretion of Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox and myself, and will be directed toward advancing the football program and strengthening key priorities that support competitive success and the student-athlete experience.

All contributions are tax-deductible, and gifts of $10,000 or more qualify for Championship CALiber benefits, offering exclusive access and experiences with the Cal Football program.

And remember, a gift of $100 grants you Cal Athletics Fund membership.

Cal donors, led by NIL thought leaders, disgruntled by the perplexingly long tenure of ineffective athletic director Jim Knowlton, took a drastic stance last month and advised against donating to Cal Athletics until Rivera was handed over the keys to manage the football program. Although it hasn’t been spelled out in an actual organizational chart, Rivera does appear to the be one openly supervising the football program.

It appears Rivera now has full operational control in Memorial Stadium. It’s all hands on deck now as Cal enters the last half of a critical decade for the future of the department, and major sports in general. A lot has to go right for the Bears to succeed.