Outside Topic Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Printable Version
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Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Papa John - 11-12-2025
It makes me sad that just a couple of years ago this wouldn't be such an outside topic. I've mentioned previously that I attended Stanford in the early 1980s. UCLA moved its home football games to the Rose Bowl stadium in 1982, and I was fortunate enough to bum a ride with roommates for the 1982 and 1984 games and then see many more Stanford-at-UCLA games when I moved to SoCal in 1985.
The big news here in SoCal is that UCLA plans to move its home games to SoFi stadium in Inglewood, and I've been experiencing Rose Bowl stadium nostalgia (full disclosure: I went to UCLA for grad school and saw a number of non-Stanford opponents play UCLA in Pasadena). I decided to look up Stanford's performance at "America's Stadium" for the heck of it. Stanford went 10-11 vs. the Bruins from 1982-2022 and 7-7-1 vs. various teams in Rose Bowl games.
A lot of great in-person memories stand out from the Rose Bowl stadium, in particular the 1984 game when Stanford upset No. 17 UCLA 23-21--my final LA football roadtrip as an undergraduate--and, of course, the 2016 Rose Bowl game vs. Iowa.
I'm sure that SoFi is a great venue, but there's just something special about watching football at the Rose Bowl.
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - dabigv13 - 11-12-2025
I am very saddened by this, sorry for the rant here.
SoFi is a soulless place. An indoor stadium with turf, in Southern California? Blegh! It feels like you are in a basketball arena with the giant screen blocking you from seeing the other side of the stadium. But there are more luxury boxes!
I've seen a couple NFL games there and I hate it. But now because it has the big screen and the luxury boxes, it's where the World Cup games will be in 2026 (something I've been very, very, mad about for a while), and I'm sure all the other major LA sporting events too until some even bigger money extracting behemoth eventually comes along.
The Rose Bowl on the other hand is my favorite venue bar none. The San Gabriels in the background, tailgating on Brookside. The greenest grass it's possible to grow. There is no better setting for a sporting event. Certainly some great memories, the Iowa Rose Bowl probably the top. Saw some very fun Copa America Centenario games there, along with several UCLA-Stanford and UCLA games against other opponents.
I imagine that the actual Rose Bowl game is probably on borrowed time now too. The Rose Bowl presented by Prudential, at SoFi stadium.
I guess just another example of social decline in our era. No more Pac conference. A 48 team World Cup. SoFi instead of the Rose Bowl. My children won't even know how much they have lost, I suppose for the best.
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Papa John - 11-13-2025
Thanks for your candor, dabigv13. I'm guessing the annual LA roadtrip was an important part of the Stanford experience for others on this board, and not just because of the football game. Sadly, as you alluded, the number of current Stanford students who have had the chance to participate in this tradition will soon be zero.
The LA Coliseum might have more historical significance for some because of the Olympics and its history as the one-time home of both UCLA and USC, but I agree that no road trip could top the Rose Bowl.
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Spiny_Norman - 11-13-2025
This is so sad. UCLA is looking to play closer to Westwood, thinking (more likely hoping) that proximity to campus will increase attendance. Maybe a few more students will go to the games. But I don't know that the alumni and general population fans will prefer Inglewood over Pasadena. If the team was better, more people would show up. I would love to see the financial projections of net revenue for SoFi vs. the Rose Bowl. Perhaps wildly optimistic. This seems like a desperate move by an Athletic Department in deep financial straits because of football problems.
The demise of the Pac 12 already ended Stanford's nearly 100 years of history at the Rose Bowl. In fact, the Rose Bowl honored that history in 2019 when they dedicated tunnel 7 (now 7A) to Stanford. I was there for this terrific ceremony. Got to walk on the field and get a photo with Jim Plunkett and Randy Vataha. It was a dream.
https://outlooknewspapers.com/pasadenaoutlook/news/rose-bowl-foundation-dedicates-tunnel-to-stanford/article_55010de7-010d-5bc1-8558-767e97fc09cc.html
I've had almost 40 years of attendance at events at the Rose Bowl, starting with 1986 Stanford-UCLA, the famous Gaston Green vs. Brad Muster game. I remember 6 straight losses in Pasadena from 1998 to 2008 (both 1998 and 2008, last minute heartbreaks). Then dominance in the 2010s. All the way through the final and saddest game, a debacle in 2022 where Stanford got run out of the stadium.
I was at the stadium in 1988 while a grad student at UCLA for a match up of #1 UCLA (led by Troy Aikman) vs. #2 USC (led by Rodney Peete). I attended my first actual Rose Bowl game a few weeks later on Jan 2, 1989. I have been back for 18 more Rose Bowl games since then. It's a fantastic experience and one that I hope to continue as games pique my interest. I cannot imagine that the Tournament of Roses Committee would allow a game played anywhere else to be called the Rose Bowl.
Stanford's history with the Rose Bowl is past. And now apparently UCLA's is too. At least we'll always have the memories.
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Giants - 11-13-2025
(11-13-2025, 11:09 AM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: This is so sad. UCLA is looking to play closer to Westwood, thinking (more likely hoping) that proximity to campus will increase attendance. Maybe a few more students will go to the games. But I don't know that the alumni and general population fans will prefer Inglewood over Pasadena. If the team was better, more people would show up. I would love to see the financial projections of net revenue for SoFi vs. the Rose Bowl. Perhaps wildly optimistic. This seems like a desperate move by an Athletic Department in deep financial straits because of football problems.
The demise of the Pac 12 already ended Stanford's nearly 100 years of history at the Rose Bowl. In fact, the Rose Bowl honored that history in 2019 when they dedicated tunnel 7 (now 7A) to Stanford. I was there for this terrific ceremony. Got to walk on the field and get a photo with Jim Plunkett and Randy Vataha. It was a dream.
https://outlooknewspapers.com/pasadenaoutlook/news/rose-bowl-foundation-dedicates-tunnel-to-stanford/article_55010de7-010d-5bc1-8558-767e97fc09cc.html
I've had almost 40 years of attendance at events at the Rose Bowl, starting with 1986 Stanford-UCLA, the famous Gaston Green vs. Brad Muster game. I remember 6 straight losses in Pasadena from 1998 to 2008 (both 1998 and 2008, last minute heartbreaks). Then dominance in the 2010s. All the way through the final and saddest game, a debacle in 2022 where Stanford got run out of the stadium.
I was at the stadium in 1988 while a grad student at UCLA for a match up of #1 UCLA (led by Troy Aikman) vs. #2 USC (led by Rodney Peete). I attended my first actual Rose Bowl game a few weeks later on Jan 2, 1989. I have been back for 18 more Rose Bowl games since then. It's a fantastic experience and one that I hope to continue as games pique my interest. I cannot imagine that the Tournament of Roses Committee would allow a game played anywhere else to be called the Rose Bowl.
Stanford's history with the Rose Bowl is past. And now apparently UCLA's is too. At least we'll always have the memories.
Two Rose Bowls have been played elsewhere.
1942 - Durham, N.C. due to WWII
2021 - Arlington, TX due to COVID
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Mick - 11-13-2025
(11-13-2025, 02:27 PM)Giants Wrote:(11-13-2025, 11:09 AM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: This is so sad. UCLA is looking to play closer to Westwood, thinking (more likely hoping) that proximity to campus will increase attendance. Maybe a few more students will go to the games. But I don't know that the alumni and general population fans will prefer Inglewood over Pasadena. If the team was better, more people would show up. I would love to see the financial projections of net revenue for SoFi vs. the Rose Bowl. Perhaps wildly optimistic. This seems like a desperate move by an Athletic Department in deep financial straits because of football problems.
The demise of the Pac 12 already ended Stanford's nearly 100 years of history at the Rose Bowl. In fact, the Rose Bowl honored that history in 2019 when they dedicated tunnel 7 (now 7A) to Stanford. I was there for this terrific ceremony. Got to walk on the field and get a photo with Jim Plunkett and Randy Vataha. It was a dream.
https://outlooknewspapers.com/pasadenaoutlook/news/rose-bowl-foundation-dedicates-tunnel-to-stanford/article_55010de7-010d-5bc1-8558-767e97fc09cc.html
I've had almost 40 years of attendance at events at the Rose Bowl, starting with 1986 Stanford-UCLA, the famous Gaston Green vs. Brad Muster game. I remember 6 straight losses in Pasadena from 1998 to 2008 (both 1998 and 2008, last minute heartbreaks). Then dominance in the 2010s. All the way through the final and saddest game, a debacle in 2022 where Stanford got run out of the stadium.
I was at the stadium in 1988 while a grad student at UCLA for a match up of #1 UCLA (led by Troy Aikman) vs. #2 USC (led by Rodney Peete). I attended my first actual Rose Bowl game a few weeks later on Jan 2, 1989. I have been back for 18 more Rose Bowl games since then. It's a fantastic experience and one that I hope to continue as games pique my interest. I cannot imagine that the Tournament of Roses Committee would allow a game played anywhere else to be called the Rose Bowl.
Stanford's history with the Rose Bowl is past. And now apparently UCLA's is too. At least we'll always have the memories.
Two Rose Bowls have been played elsewhere.
1942 - Durham, N.C. due to WWII
2021 - Arlington, TX due to COVID
I believe the 1902 Rose Bowl and the Rose Bowls from 1916 to 1922 were played at Tournament Park (CalTech stadium) until the Rose Bowl was completed in 1923.
Tournament Park - Wikipedia
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - Spiny_Norman - 11-13-2025
(11-13-2025, 02:27 PM)Giants Wrote:(11-13-2025, 11:09 AM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: I cannot imagine that the Tournament of Roses Committee would allow a game played anywhere else to be called the Rose Bowl.
Two Rose Bowls have been played elsewhere.
1942 - Durham, N.C. due to WWII
2021 - Arlington, TX due to COVID
My comment was a response to dabigv's speculation that "the actual Rose Bowl game is probably on borrowed time now too. The Rose Bowl presented by Prudential, at SoFi stadium."
The city of Pasadena (owner/operator of the stadium) has a master license agreement with the Tournament of Roses organization which requires the Rose Bowl game to be played at the Rose Bowl stadium except for a force majeure event (as happened in 1942 and 2021). There certainly could be a college playoff game played at SoFi. But it is doubtful that it could be called a Rose Bowl.
RE: Rose Bowl/UCLA divorce - BostonCard - 11-22-2025
Some more color on the dispute:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/us/rose-bowl-pasadena-ucla.html?smtyp=cur&smid=bsky-nytimes
I have to ask my son (junior at UCLA) what he thinks; I suspect he would rather have a stadium that was much closer and more comfortable.
BC