In the world of college football, a unique phenomenon has emerged at the University of California, Berkeley. A group of fans, armed with basic photo and video editing skills, generative AI art tools, and a desire to change the perception that people in Berkeley don’t care about football, have created a movement that has generated fresh enthusiasm about the program.
At the heart of this movement is a satirical take on the stereotypes surrounding Cal, which has been dubbed the “Calgorithm.” It’s a self-deprecating brand of internetting that has welcomed anyone, including opposing fans, to get in on the joke. The tone isn’t universally adored, but it’s clear that it has tapped into something fun and different.
The Calgorithm was born out of a desire to reappropriate the negative stereotypes surrounding Cal and turn them into a joke. It started with a single meme, created by a first-year grad student, which poked fun at the idea that Cal’s win over Auburn was a victory for the “woke agenda.” The post went viral, and in the weeks since, it has been viewed more than 5 million times.
As the Calgorithm grew, so did its creativity. Fans began to create their own memes, using generative AI art tools to produce absurd and humorous images. A group chat within a social media platform includes over 100 fans, who share ideas and provide feedback for each other.
The movement has also led to real-world benefits. The California Legends Collective announced an inspired anonymous donor was willing to match up to $1 million in donations ahead of a recent game, and in the first 36 hours, the collective received over $300k in pledges.
The Calgorithm has become so popular that it even caught the attention of ESPN’s College GameDay, which announced it was headed to Berkeley for the first time ever. The show’s decision to visit Cal was likely influenced by the enthusiasm and creativity of the Calgorithm.
As one fan put it, “We’re gonna hit the million-dollar match. I think the only question is how much we’re gonna go over the million-dollar match. So we’ll have at least $2 million more in NIL than we would’ve without this happening. So it’s been terrific.”
The Calgorithm has proven that with a little creativity and humor, even the most unlikely of fan bases can make a big impact.
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