The Benson Blog: Cal Basketball GM

I’m watching Cal take an L to WAKE and I guess that’s cool. Pretty much everything I said in my last podcast still applies, so you can go back and check that out. 

Ok. Unrelated. The rise of the college sports GM is fascinating to me. I never even heard of the concept until a few days ago. I have thoughts, but I figured I’d do this one differently. 

I asked the chatbot to explain the rise of the GM to me and it spit back this response. I was going to paraphrase, but instead I’m going to reply in-line, because I think this issue isn’t going anywhere and all of the topics raised are ones I know people care about. So…

1. **Increased Financial Stakes**

   - **Revenue Growth**: College football generates billions of dollars annually through television contracts, sponsorships, ticket sales, and merchandise. With so much money at stake, programs are looking for ways to optimize their operations and ensure sustained success.

   - **NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Deals**: The introduction of NIL policies has added a new layer of complexity to roster management. Players can now monetize their personal brands, and managing these opportunities requires specialized knowledge and oversight.

When it comes to the deals I'm curious how a GM would work. It feels like that person would be tasked with being a point person between every agent and player, their parents, and Aau coaches, and the team. That task alone feels like it would occupy 99% of this person's time as the system currently stands. 

That said, it would seem that people would likely want somebody very businessy, almost like a CEO type, because it’s all about the money. In my opinion this is how we get “Jim Knowlton Jr” in that position. Nothing wrong with that, and it could be someone we like, but because they would be focused on money and recruiting, we would essentially be like every other program. 

NIL is complex for sure, but I have a feeling it’s gonna get a radical update soon. I guess we’ll have to see how much those future changes will have on the GM. 

2. **Recruiting Complexity**

   - **Transfer Portal**: The NCAA transfer portal has revolutionized player movement, making roster management more dynamic and challenging. A GM can help navigate the complexities of recruiting both high school players and transfers.

   - **Early Signing Period**: The introduction of the early signing period has compressed the recruiting timeline, requiring more strategic planning and coordination.

When it comes to the transfer portal, this feels like another full-time job. As it stands, the transfer portal is called the wild west for a reason, and I don't think there's a cap on how Wild that West can be. 

What I mean is if you are really going to focus all your efforts on the transfer portal there's no limit to how much time and effort can be spent on that endeavor. I’m curious how much time a GM would have for this part of the job. If we’re talking about Theo Robertson, a guy who has time and is local, that’s one thing. If you’re talking Jason Kidd or some of the other names I’ve seen floated around, I just dont get where the time comes from. If this is supposed to be a full time job, the best people for the job should have full time to devote to the cause. 

I guess I would say that an ideal GM would be someone who doesn't need to focus on actual recruiting so much, and more focus on the circumstances that produce a good transfer portal for us. In other words, I think in a perfect world, we build the type of program that makes it easier for the coaches to use the portal to our advantage. Who is going to create a culture that changes Cal into a dream destination? I think about Oregon. It almost doesn't matter what is going on . Oregon has a strong identity, a strong brand, and people want to be around it. Yea, Nike’s right around the corner but if you look around the figurative corner in the bay area, we got a lot of juice, too. 

3. **Professionalization of College Sports**

   - **Mimicking the NFL**: College programs are increasingly adopting professional sports models to stay competitive. The role of a GM, common in the NFL, is seen as a way to bring more structure and expertise to program management.

   - **Specialized Roles**: As college football programs grow, they require more specialized roles to handle various aspects of the program, from recruiting to player development to compliance.

This is an interesting one. I do think that a big part of updating the culture will be specialized roles. The obvious roles may be around fundraising and portal stuff, but there’s other roles that pro teams create for the simple fact that they want to have different cultures. The Miami Heat and whatever they’re doing with Haslem. The Celtics and whatever they’ve been doing with Leon. Etc. But there’s also so many little things pro teams consider. 

When I was with the Pacers it was early days of the dress code, so they brought in a stylist to dress everyone. It’s small and random, but these are pro things. I wonder if a college GM would work on little stuff like that? 

4. **Compliance and Regulatory Challenges**

   - **NCAA Regulations**: Navigating the ever-changing landscape of NCAA rules and regulations requires dedicated expertise. A GM can ensure that the program remains compliant while maximizing its competitive edge.

   - **Academic Eligibility**: Ensuring that players meet academic eligibility requirements is crucial, and a GM can oversee this aspect to prevent any issues that could affect the team's performance.

Interesting that it brought up compliance because I know for a fact that Cal has a compliance department. I wonder what a GM would change about this that isn't currently happening if you guys have any suggestions I like to know because this isn't something I would consider at all.

5. **Strategic Planning and Long-Term Vision**

   - **Program Stability**: A GM can provide a long-term vision for the program, ensuring stability and continuity even as coaching staffs change.

   - **Resource Allocation**: Effective management of resources, including scholarships, NIL funds, and staff, is critical for sustained success. A GM can oversee these aspects to ensure the program is maximizing its potential.

The long term vision is where Cal has always struggled if you ask me. I think a lot of people's long-term vision is some updated version of the old vision. Interesting, because it has literally never worked. I'm serious.

I remember there was a blog commenter back in the old days on one of the message boards. I don't remember the board at all, except for this guys handle. It was wantaRoseBowlbeforeIdie. I remember thinking ‘okay I'm assuming this person is older than me, when has he never seen one?’ 

We haven't been to a Rose Bowl in my entire fandom / relationship with Cal. We haven’t been to a sweet 16. So what about the current vision is exciting anyone?

I actually don’t think it’s exciting. It’s safe. And further, because a lot of individuals have been working separately for so long, there’s egos involved now. There are people who have never pivoted because they’re too proud. That’s ok. I get it. But once again, the returns aren’t there. 

If Cal hires a GM, that person’s task will also be to corral all these different voices and try to get them to move as one. Well, at least my ideal GM, anyways.

6. **Competitive Advantage**

   - **Innovation**: Programs are always looking for ways to gain a competitive edge. Introducing a GM role can be seen as an innovative approach to program management, potentially attracting top talent and improving performance.

   - **Focus on Coaching**: By handling administrative and strategic responsibilities, a GM allows coaches to focus more on coaching and player development, potentially leading to better on-field performance.

Give me whoever gets our top guys back into the fold somehow. I’m unsure that’ll happen but it’s wishful thinking. If anything, I’m convinced that whoever we would hire as GM would just tow the line. 

I’m hoping I’m wrong.

Ok that’s it for now. Would love your comments and who else we want for this role.