Assistant Athletic Director, Gameday Entertainment; U Intercollegiate Athletics

Responsibilities

This role serves as the executive "show caller" and architect of the Cal Athletics gameday atmosphere, transforming athletic events into professional-grade entertainment spectacles that rival Power 4 standards. It is responsible for the end-to-end execution of live shows, managing everything from complex technical scripting and control room direction to high-stakes sponsorship activations and halftime programming. By bridging the gap between marketing, the content studio, and live operations, the candidate creates a seamless emotional arc that drives fan loyalty, elite recruitment, and measurable revenue growth.

Beyond the booth, the role leads a production academy for student interns, mentoring a scalable workforce to ensure every "show" reflects the prestige and innovation of the Cal brand.

• Supervise the Gameday Entertainment team and manage the recruitment, training, and performance of a large workforce of student interns and freelancers.
• Build, recruit, and manage a scalable workforce of staff and student interns. Create a "Production Academy" environment that mentors the next generation of creators while ensuring the auxiliary staff can support events across all sports.
• Act as the primary "show caller" and architect for select sporting events, overseeing end-to-end execution of live shows, complex technical scripting, control room direction, and the "emotional arc" of the game to ensure a professional, Power 4-caliber entertainment experience.
• Oversee gameday presentation and entertainment for Cal football, including creative concepting and showcalling.
• Supervise the team to bridge digital storytelling and in‑venue production, ensuring brand consistency from fan's phone screen to stadium big screen.
• Oversee seamless integration of high‑stakes sponsorship activations and marketing campaigns into the live show flow, maximizing partner ROI and department revenue.
• Collaborate with internal units (Marketing, Facilities, IT) to synchronize production logistics, overseeing technical health of control room, video boards, and audio systems.
• Guide the department’s adoption of future technologies, including AI integration and advanced data analytics, to maintain a cutting‑edge advantage.
• Plan and lead the overall gameday entertainment budget.

• Deep understanding of control room environments, including video switchers, instant replay systems (e.g., EVS or Dream Catcher), and broadcast management systems.
• Strong background in managing staff members in a team environment promoting an established vision, direction and goals.
• Proficiency in industry‑standard tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere, After Effects), graphics software, and non‑linear editing systems.
• Expert knowledge in creating and executing a Technical Run of Show (ROS), including timing for the national anthem, team intros, and halftime spectacles.
• Strong knowledge of LED digital screens, audio‑visual equipment (soundboards, lighting consoles), and in‑venue wireless coordination.
• Working knowledge of NCAA championship standards, stadium safety, and compliance regarding on‑field media and sponsorship placement.
• Ability to make split‑second decisions under high pressure while directing a diverse crew of technical operators and on‑air talent.
• Skill in designing and implementing memorable sponsor experiences (interactive challenges, digital takeovers) that align brand values with the fan narrative.
• Ability to craft a "seamless emotional arc" that uses video, music, and choreography to drive fan loyalty and institutional prestige.
• Experience in recruiting and coaching a student workforce, translating complex technical roles into structured educational programs.
• Strong project management and interpersonal skills to align internal teams and external vendors toward a unified gameday goal.
• Use of data‑driven insights to analyze fan behavior and preferences to optimize in‑game engagement and atmosphere.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with a diverse client group.
• Ability to multi‑task effectively; demonstrates sound judgment and decision‑making; is an effective problem solver and effectively…