Cal Men's Basketball Challenge Grant

2,882 Views | 28 Replies | Last: 16 hrs ago by westcoastdude
Sebastabear
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1:39p, 3/31/26
So I've gotten several messages that "someone" should post this on BI, and I guess that someone is me.

Mark Madsen and an anonymous donor today launched a challenge grant with $250k of their own money (again, together, not $250k each) for our MBB program. An extraordinary gesture from a sitting head coach. A few have done it but not many and we should all be very grateful for this unambiguous sign that Mark is fully committed to Cal and to the success of our basketball program, particularly given the rumors that have swirled around him being potentially poached by another school.

Goal is to raise $500k total. This is a chance for our broad donor community to make a difference without just waiting for a mega-whale to come in and save us all deus ex machina. So if you believe in Mark and appreciate what he's doing here at Cal, I'd urge you to contribute what you can.

Go Bears!

https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/49671/wall
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HoopDreams
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2:52p, 3/31/26
Thanks for posting Sebasta

Matching donation by an anonymous fan and from Madsen is very generous. Thank you!

And it's a clear sign from Mark himself that he's staying despite interest from other programs which recognize he's a rising star

I'll be making a donation

Go Bears!

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NVBear78
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4:03p, 3/31/26
Donated..........my main donations are to football but Mark deserves support and wanted to jump in immediately and give something.

Go Bears, Go Mark!
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3Cats4CAL
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6:19p, 3/31/26
Donated. Thanks Coach MM! Go Bears!
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sonofabear51
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8:35p, 3/31/26
WOW!! That is way F'ing cool!! Even I will kick in!!

TY Mark and everyone!!

GO BEARS!!
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HairOfTheBear
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11:05a, 4/1/26
BUMP
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socaltownie
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9:57a, 4/2/26
Please give. The "give for victory" effort was suspended, in anticipation, of this match, when the Bears had 18 wins. So if you were going to give $10 a victory - 40.

Moreover, only 121 donations so far. There are THOUSANDS of folks that visit BI weekly. PLEASE Give. Really the only want to have this program excel is for many small donors to step up. I want to see us at 150 by lunch and 200 by the end of the day!!!
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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11:13a, 4/2/26
Up to 125. Come on guys. Lets get to 25 more this hour!!! (Best KQED pledge week voice)
Take care of your Chicken
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HoopDreams
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12:36p, 4/2/26
Leon !




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socaltownie
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12:46p, 4/2/26
127. Come on folks. A dime for every bi post!!!
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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2:03p, 4/2/26
131 donors! Kudos to everyone who has given today - in some cases the gifts are not disclosed but I think over 35K just today....and it is only 2p.m.!!!!

Go Bears!!!
Take care of your Chicken
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concordtom
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In reply to socaltownie • 2:45p, 4/2/26
socaltownie said:
127. Come on folks. A dime for every bi post!!!

I just posted. Pay your ten cents.
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concordtom
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In reply to socaltownie • 2:49p, 4/2/26
socaltownie said:
Up to 125. Come on guys. Let's get to 25 more this hour!!! (Best KQED pledge week voice)

It's up to $194,528

An anonymous donor gave $25000 6 hours ago.
I wonder, does this website deduct 1% for credit card fees, or was that an ACH transfer?
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socaltownie
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2:55p, 4/2/26
That super generous donation is fantastic. I also am excited about the dozens of smaller amounts donated with essentially no/minimal marketing. Every little bit counts.
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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4:43p, 4/2/26
Up to almost $218K in just 2 days of fundraising. Someone with more patience than I should add those up. While I see some wonderful 5 figure donations I see a TON of 3 digit contributions. What a fantastic effort by the Bears community (in the absence of a great push from the powers that be). WOuldn't it be cool to blow past the 250 match and get a cool million in time for signing season ;-)

Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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7:00p, 4/2/26
87%!!! WOOT!!! Now lets push to the final goal!!! Can you each just give $20?
Take care of your Chicken
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HoopDreams
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In reply to socaltownie • 7:04p, 4/2/26
How do you see the donor wall?
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OneKeg
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In reply to HoopDreams • 7:53p, 4/2/26
HoopDreams said:
How do you see the donor wall?

Just go here and scroll down: https://crowdfund.berkeley.edu/project/49671/wall
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socaltownie
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7:23a, 4/3/26
a brand new friday!! Giving usually dropps off on the weekend. So can you double your gift? Round up? Just dig. Essentially the gauntlet has been thrown that only the big fish care. Not asking you to mortgage the house but if you can brown bag today rather than do take out there is 10 that could go toward helping coach build an exciting roster for next season - an outcome which will give you more pleasure than bad Subway. ;-)
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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10:16a, 4/3/26
Boom!!!! A huge kudos to the very generous donors who put us over the top!!!! And to everyone!!! That is 160+ showing that beara basketball goves us joy!!! Lets go for 300k!!!!
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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10:17a, 4/3/26
Boom!!! Can we get to 250 donors? 300?
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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11:01a, 4/3/26
Another Match is up!!! so 350K turns into 700K. That isn't getting us a mcDOnalds all american but absolutely helps keep the core here AND allows for some of the key missing pieces (a rebounder).

WE CAN DO THIS!!!!!!
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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3:45p, 4/3/26
And 60K+ plus raised in less than 6 hours to start getting close to the additional 100K challenge!!! Think about it - in less than 4 days the program has raised 600K+!!!!!!

And this even though our AD's marketing just sucks. For example - The official MBB instagram has NO mention/post about this that I saw when I looked this AM. Maybe there was a story that I missed. But if we had an NIL centric fundraising focus this would have had MULIPLE posts today and several reels as we closed in on the number.

They really do suck. But damm we see posts about swimmers.
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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6:38p, 4/3/26
210 donations. Come on...250 by the end of the day!!! Dig
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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9:44a, 4/4/26
Bumping because we are just 2500 short of the SECOND goal. Lets give Mark the Ammo to get active on Tuesday.
Take care of your Chicken
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socaltownie
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In reply to socaltownie • 9:46a, 4/4/26
socaltownie said:
Bumping because we are just 2500 short of the SECOND goal. Lets give Mark the Ammo to get active on Tuesday.



And with that we are at 350,000 raised with a match to 700,000!!!

Huge lift for Cal!!!!
Take care of your Chicken
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HKBear97!
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In reply to socaltownie • 10:26a, 4/4/26
socaltownie said:
And 60K+ plus raised in less than 6 hours to start getting close to the additional 100K challenge!!! Think about it - in less than 4 days the program has raised 600K+!!!!!!

And this even though our AD's marketing just sucks. For example - The official MBB instagram has NO mention/post about this that I saw when I looked this AM. Maybe there was a story that I missed. But if we had an NIL centric fundraising focus this would have had MULIPLE posts today and several reels as we closed in on the number.

They really do suck. But damm we see posts about swimmers.

Yes, seems like this should be more widely spread, particularly since in today's new world programs have to do this every year, no? I mean that's the issue - need supporters willing to write checks every year, not just one time. I'm not really convinced that's sustainable, are you?
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socaltownie
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In reply to HKBear97! • 7:21p, 4/5/26
HKBear97! said:
socaltownie said:
And 60K+ plus raised in less than 6 hours to start getting close to the additional 100K challenge!!! Think about it - in less than 4 days the program has raised 600K+!!!!!!

And this even though our AD's marketing just sucks. For example - The official MBB instagram has NO mention/post about this that I saw when I looked this AM. Maybe there was a story that I missed. But if we had an NIL centric fundraising focus this would have had MULIPLE posts today and several reels as we closed in on the number.

They really do suck. But damm we see posts about swimmers.

Yes, seems like this should be more widely spread, particularly since in today's new world programs have to do this every year, no? I mean that's the issue - need supporters willing to write checks every year, not just one time. I'm not really convinced that's sustainable, are you?


No. But i have stopped fretting about it. Most articles on nil reach your conclusion but at least in short term we are in a zero aum arms race.
Take care of your Chicken
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westcoastdude
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9:50a, 4/6/26
I love that MM is donating money to Cal hoops. I wonder if it is a straight donation from MM to the program or a reduction in his pay by the amount of the donation. If Cal and MM went the reduced pay route, it could save Cal a decent chuck of change in employer taxes and workers' compensation insurance. Just thinking like a tax planner.
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