The city of Pasadena, California, along with the Rose Bowl operator, has initiated legal action against UCLA over the school’s attempt to relocate its college football games from the historic Rose Bowl to the newer SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
The lawsuit claims that UCLA committed a significant breach of trust by considering this move from a venue that has been home to the Bruins for 43 years to the stadium of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.
UCLA’s current lease extends until 2044. Even so, the Rose Bowl is about 42 miles away from the campus, and recently, attendance for UCLA’s games has been less than stellar. This season, the average attendance for their four home games is roughly 35,000.
Opened in September 2020, SoFi Stadium is closer—about 19 miles from UCLA—and boasts a capacity of 70,240.
The lawsuit expresses concerns, stating, “This case comes at a time when money too often overshadows meaning and the pursuit of profit threatens to erase the very traditions that bring life to institutions. Some promises are too basic to be replaced.”
UCLA has undergone substantial changes within the last two seasons, notably preparing to leave the Pac-12—its long-standing conference—to join the Big Ten alongside Southern California, Washington, and Oregon in 2024.
Earlier this season, the Bruins dismissed their second-year coach, Deshaun Foster, appointing Tim Skipper as interim head coach. The team’s offensive and defensive coordinators have also changed during this timeframe.
According to the Times, UCLA’s external attorney, David L. Skrader, communicated with Pasadena attorney Nima Mohebi in March, stating that the university’s attempts to explore relocating game venues did not represent a “material breach” of the existing contract.
However, officials from Pasadena argue that such a move could lead to losses exceeding $1 billion for the city and its residents. They emphasize that taxpayers have already invested over $150 million in renovations and recently refinanced $130 million in bonds for further improvements.
The Rose Bowl is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, famous for hosting the college football “granddaddy” of bowl games since 1922. The stadium has a capacity of around 89,000 and has been the Bruins’ home since they made the switch from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1982.
