Director, Gameday Entertainment - Men's Basketball (6403C) Intercollegiate Athletics 86762

Director, Gameday Entertainment - Men's Basketball (6403C) Intercollegiate Athletics 86762

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff. As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic, and social value. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice.

Departmental Overview

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics consists of more than 275 staff members and coaches and sponsors 30 varsity sports programs. These 30 programs include more than 850 student-athletes who participate in the various sports programs annually within the National Collegiate Athletics Association.

Position Summary

The Director, Gameday Entertainment Men's Basketball exists to orchestrate and elevate Cal athletic events into premier entertainment experiences, rivaling professional and NCAA Power 4 Conference standards, driving deep fan loyalty and measurable revenue growth. This position serves as the primary architect and show caller for the in-venue experience, reimagining gameday as a high-stakes, full-scale production. The Director, Gameday Entertainment Men's Basketball, spearheads the end-to-end execution of live shows from complex scripting and game presentation direction to halftime spectacles and integrated sponsorship activations. The role mobilizes the crowd through data-driven atmosphere strategies, using video, music, and storytelling to enhance Cal's national reputation. By aligning internal marketing, production, and athletic units, this position creates a seamless emotional arc that attracts elite recruits and brands. The Director, Gameday Entertainment Men's Basketball also collaborates extensively with internal units to seamlessly integrate all production logistics, sponsorship activations, marketing campaigns, theme games and storytelling within the live entertainment show flow. This role is responsible for recruiting, building, and supervising a consistent workforce of students and interns to scale gameday entertainment support across the events. Additionally, this position creates a comprehensive gameday entertainment training program for student staff, mentoring them in the execution of professional-level storytelling, ensuring every show reflects the excellence of the Cal brand.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: June 22, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Responsibilities

Show Direction & Executive Production

• Serve as the "show caller" and lead architect for all home athletic events; orchestrate end-to-end production, including detailed scripting, game presentation oversight, video board integration, and musical atmosphere to ensure a professional-grade fan experience while ensuring it meets the standards of a premier entertainment event.

Strategic Brand & Revenue Integration

• Align marketing campaigns, sponsorship activations, and NIL initiatives into the live show flow; transform commercial requirements into organic, high-energy entertainment segments that drive partner ROI and department revenue.

Talent Recruitment & Mentorship

• Mobilize and supervise a scalable workforce of students and interns; architect a professional-level training program that mentors staff in live production, technical execution, and brand-consistent storytelling.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Synchronize with Facilities, Operations, Marketing, and Spirit squads to ensure seamless logistics; act as the primary point of contact for integrating departmental goals into the live event framework.

Innovation & Experience Design

• Spearhead the evolution of gameday traditions by integrating emerging technology (lighting, mobile apps, AI) and data-driven fan feedback to modernize the atmosphere and attract elite recruits and brands.

Budgeting & Strategy

• Manage gameday entertainment budgets, track expenses, and evaluate the fan engagement via feedback and data to improve future events.

Quality Control & Post-Event Analysis

• Govern the post-game review process by analyzing fan sentiment and production performance; implement continuous improvements to maintain Power 4 conference excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Expert ability to direct live, multi-camera productions, cueing audio, video, lighting, and on-field talent with precision.
• Deep knowledge of professional broadcast hardware and show-flow software.
• Skill in drafting minute-by-minute Rundowns of Show (ROS) that integrate technical cues with entertainment segments.
• Proficiency in integrating modern fan-engagement tools like synchronized LED lighting, mobile app triggers, and AI-driven content.
• Ability to translate corporate partner KPIs into organic, high-energy in-venue "moments" that drive ROI without losing the crowd.
• Skill in analyzing fan sentiment and attendance data to engineer "emotional arcs" that increase loyalty and revenue.
• Expert understanding of brand storytelling to ensure every video, graphic, and announcement reinforces the "Cal" identity.
• Knowledge of navigating Name, Image, and Likness (NIL) regulations to highlight student-athletes within the live show flow.
• Problem-solving skills; multi-task, work with frequent interruptions, and effective listener.
• Strong skills in coaching and mentoring lower level staff.
• Time and project management skills to effectively establish priorities and meet competing deadlines both for themself and the team.
• Interpersonal communications and people management skills to interact effectively with a variety of clients, staff and vendors.
• Strong skills and fiscal responsibility to plan and manage the Gameday Entertainment budget.
• Experience recruiting, supervising, and scheduling numerous students/interns across multiple simultaneous events.
• Ability to synchronize goals between units.
• Familiarity with the production benchmarks of elite NCAA conferences or professional sports leagues.
• Must maintain current knowledge of applicable rules and standards of the Pacific-12 Conference, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as well as other associations and agencies to which the Berkeley campus of the University of California adheres, and, at all times avoid any and all violations of these rules and standards and/or the ability to learn.
• Advanced knowledge of program activity and best practices.
• Proficiency in the use of computer applications relevant to job duties and/or the ability to learn.

Education / Training

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training