Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi and general manager Ron Rivera embarked on a mission to the East Coast to further engage the Cal fanbase and build the Cal brand throughout the country this week with stop in the Big Apple. Both will be meeting with Cal alums and donors including several potential heavy hitters for the program
Their arrival was christened with an electronic billboard right in the heart of Times Square thanks to the generosity of a Cal donor.
"It’s a really cool opportunity to be out here in the Big Apple and to see an amazing turnout of all the Cal fans," Lupoi said. "I have to be honest, I was surprised at how packed the streets were with the Cal faithful right in the heart of Times Square. Seeing how many folks came out to support us, and to see the billboard was just a really cool moment of realization of how far our Cal branches stretch.
"We’re out here representing the number one public institution in the country, the magnitude of this degree and the high profile of the alumni network from coast to coast. I’m thankful to be a part of it and it was a great moment to see Cal Football represented right here in the Mecca of Times Square."
The Bears will be back in New York on a trip to Syracuse on September 12 to kick off their ACC schedule this season in the program’s first trip to the Empire State.
They will hope to draw from a fairly large East Coast fan base for the game with the Cal Alumni Club of New York (CACNY) serving an active local base of an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 Cal alumni across the greater New York City and tri-state area.