BERKELEY, CA / August 23, 2022 -- The California Legends Collective announces the launch of CAlegends.com, a NIL platform that empowers UC Berkeley student-athletes to secure name, image, and likeness income opportunities. This platform, created in partnership with Beastmode Marketing, will allow Cal fans, alums, supporters, and brands to peruse its site loaded exclusively with Cal athletes to book players and teams for various services. Utilizing proprietary PlayBooked technology, the fully customized and secure online platform also allows the California Legends Collective to manage all aspects of its collective needs in one place.
"We've been working hard to create something we could all be proud of," said Kevin Kennedy, president, founding sponsor, and co-executive director of the California Legends Collective. "It was important to us that this be done the Cal way—in full compliance with NCAA regulations and empowering all our student-athletes to take full advantage of the vast opportunities presented by attending the world's No. 1 ranked university. We decided the best university in the world deserved the best Collective, and that's what we've created."
By partnering with Beastmode Marketing, the California Legends Collective has engaged with former Cal running back, NFL star turned entrepreneur Marshawn Lynch. Marshawn Lynch stated, "I'm always open to finding ways to help current and future Bears, and this is a really special opportunity that I had to push play on. This partnership is gonna be hella fun, and it's not just about NIL money. Our focus is also on education and sharing our experiences to help Cal athletes with financial literacy, staying healthy, brand building, being a pro, and staying connected with your community."
Kevin Kennedy said, "To have this kind of exclusive connection to a Cal legend and one who is currently running a major sports and lifestyle brand, and marketing company is amazing and something no other school will be able to replicate. And Marshawn's industry-leading role in ensuring athletes make smart investment decisions and maximize their personal brands makes him an ideal person to spearhead our efforts. We are so grateful to have him as our partner."
But Marshawn Lynch isn't the only Cal great involved with the California Legends Collective. The Collective's founding advisory board members include football star DeSean Jackson; LayshiaClarendon, a WNBA all-star and Cal's 4th all-time leading scorer; and Val Arioto, Cal's greatest women's softball player ever. "They are all true legends, and we are so fortunate to have them," said Stephanie Rivera, co-executive director and one of the Collective's founding sponsors. "There isn't a Cal fan, or an NFL fan, who doesn't know who DeSean Jackson is and doesn't remember his play for Cal. So to have his involvement and his unique tie-in to the Southern California football community is incredible."
Using CAlegends.com, fans can purchase California Legends Collective merchandise, book a live chat or video shout-out with a student-athlete, subscribe to support various teams, or make financial contributions. The site also empowers businesses and charities that want to hire a Cal student-athlete or marketing campaigns or to promote an event can now easily do so. "We wanted to create maximum flexibility for our student-athletes and fans," said Kevin Kennedy. "Fans can go onto CAlegends.com and choose which Cal team, position group, or individual player they want to support financially. They can do this in various ways, by subscribing to that team, group, or player at various dollar levels and receiving unique benefits depending on the subscription amount. Do you want to attend a Cal football game with Marshawn Lynch? Well, we can make that happen for you. Fans just log on and select how they want to participate."
The California Legends Collective's mission is always to place the student-athlete interests first.Stephanie Rivera stated, "My husband Ron and I were both student-athletes at Cal, so we know what a platform like this will mean for the students. Being a student-athlete at a school like Cal is itself a full-time job. These students don't have the time to hold part-time jobs, and with the new NIL regulations, they can now realize the full benefits of their association with Cal. It was essential for our collective to allow all of Cal's student-athletes, no matter their sport, to have these opportunities. At Cal, inclusivity and diversity are some of our core values, and we wanted our Collective to reflect that."
About the California Legends Collective
Founded by a dedicated group of UC Berkeley alumni and fans, the California Legends Collective isan independent NIL collective. The CAlegends.com digital platform connects fans, supporters, businesses, and charitable organizations with the University of California student-athletes while empowering each athlete to monetize their name, image, and likeness. We are not formally associated with or sponsored by the University of California at Berkeley. To learn more, go to CAlegends.com.
About Beastmode Marketing
Beastmode Marketing, based in Oakland, CA, is a marketing management agency founded by Marshawn Lynch, Bryon Sheng, and Kevin Parker. Beast Mode Marketing currently represents the marketing efforts for Lynch, Josh Johnson, Marcus Peters, and Najee Harris. Beast Mode is rooted in building brands through authenticity and creativity at the direction of its athletes. For more information, please visit BeastModeMktg.com or follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @BeastModeMktg.
