Research conducted at UC Berkeley from 2009 through 2013 helped lay the groundwork for Databricks, and the company now has a multi-year agreement with Cal Athletics. California Memorial Stadium will be called Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium. Cal Athletics described the arrangement as the largest partnership in its history.
Databricks branding appeared during Cal’s nationally televised game against Clemson. The company will be the athletics department’s designated provider of enterprise data and artificial-intelligence services. Its name also will go on Cal football helmets beginning with the Oct. 3 game at UNLV.
Databricks will additionally be the namesake of a stadium club, while its branding will appear at Haas Pavilion during basketball, volleyball and gymnastics events.
Company co-founders, including CEO Ali Ghodsi, have maintained ties to Berkeley. Ghodsi said the founders arrived there as academics believing data and AI would change every organization, adding that the stadium designation represents an investment in the community. Cal Athletics said UC Berkeley will become a shareholder in Databricks to finance the deal. KRON4 reported the partnership details.