The Rose Bowl: A Storied History of UCLA Bruins' Home and Gridiron Glory

The Rose Bowl, an iconic outdoor athletic stadium nestled in Pasadena, California, stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of college football and a cherished home for the UCLA Bruins. Best known for hosting the annual Rose Bowl Game, this historic venue has also served as the home stadium for the UCLA Bruins football team since 1982. Beyond college football, the Rose Bowl has hosted five Super Bowl games, a testament to its prominence on the national stage. Owned by the city of Pasadena and managed by the Rose Bowl Operating Company, a non-profit organization, the stadium and its adjacent Brookside Golf and Country Club are integral parts of the community.

From Tournament Park to the Arroyo Seco: The Genesis of an Icon

Prior to the construction of the Rose Bowl, the esteemed bowl game was held at Tournament Park, located approximately three miles southeast of the current location, near the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) campus. In 1921, architect Myron Hunt was commissioned to design a stadium that would capture the spirit and grandeur of the Rose Bowl Game. Inspired by the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, Hunt envisioned a stadium that would become a landmark in its own right. The Arroyo Seco was chosen as the ideal location for the new stadium, and construction commenced on February 27, 1922, continuing until October of the same year. During this period, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was also under construction, eventually opening in May 1923, shortly after the completion of the Rose Bowl.

Architectural Evolution and Seating Capacity

Originally designed as a horseshoe, the Rose Bowl underwent several expansions over the years. In 1928, the southern stands were completed, transforming the stadium into a complete bowl. These additions increased the seating capacity and further solidified the Rose Bowl's status as a premier venue.

The stadium's seating configuration has been modified several times since its original construction. The south end was filled in to complete the bowl, and additional seats were added over time. The original wooden benches were replaced with aluminum benches in 1969, and new grandstand and loge seats were installed in 1971. Prior to the 1980 Rose Bowl, 22,000 seats were equipped with new red seat backs.

For many years, the Rose Bowl boasted the largest football stadium capacity in the United States, eventually surpassed by Michigan Stadium. From 1972 to 1997, the Rose Bowl's maximum stated seating capacity was 104,091. However, some of the seats closest to the field were often unused during UCLA regular season games and covered by tarps. Following the 1998 Rose Bowl, the official capacity was lowered. Currently, UCLA reports the capacity at 91,136, while the Tournament of Roses cites a capacity of 92,542. The 2006 Rose Bowl game, which also served as the BCS championship game, drew a crowd of 93,986 spectators. The 2011 contest between TCU and Wisconsin recorded an attendance of 94,118. As of 2008, the Rose Bowl ranks as the 11th largest football stadium in the world and remains the largest stadium that hosts post-season bowl games. For concerts, the Rose Bowl can accommodate nearly 60,000 people. In 2021, UCLA began using a tarp to reduce capacity and cover the north upper end zone, with the tarp displaying "U-C-L-A" and advertisements on the side.

A Storied History of Games and Events

The Rose Bowl's inaugural game took place in 1922, with California defeating USC 12-0 in a regular season contest. This victory marked USC's only loss of the season, and Cal finished the season undefeated. However, California declined the invitation to the 1923 Rose Bowl game, and USC participated instead.

The "Granddaddy of Them All": The Rose Bowl Game

The Rose Bowl is renowned for its annual hosting of the Rose Bowl Game, a prestigious postseason college football game. The game is traditionally played after the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, or on January 2nd if January 1st falls on a Sunday. The Rose Bowl Game is often called "The Granddaddy of Them All" due to its status as the oldest of all bowl games. Since its opening, the Rose Bowl stadium has hosted the bowl game every year except in 1942 and 2021. The 1942 Rose Bowl was relocated to Durham, North Carolina, on the campus of Duke University.

From the 1998 season onward, the Rose Bowl became part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The 2002 and 2006 games also served as the BCS Championship games, pitting the top two BCS teams in the nation against each other. In 2010, the BCS National Championship Game was held six days after the Rose Bowl game as a separate event.

The Rose Bowl Game is one of the six primary bowls of the College Football Playoff (CFP), which replaced the BCS in 2014. Every three years, the Rose Bowl hosts a CFP semifinal game, matching two of the top four teams selected by the CFP selection committee for a spot in the national championship game. The first CFP semifinal game at the Rose Bowl was the 2015 Rose Bowl.

UCLA Bruins: A Legacy Forged in the Rose Bowl

Since 1982, the Rose Bowl has been the home football field for the UCLA Bruins. Prior to this, the Bruins played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 1928. In the early 1980s, with the Oakland Raiders' impending move into the Coliseum, UCLA made the decision to relocate its home games to the Rose Bowl Stadium.

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The Bruins have played 12 Rose Bowl games in the stadium. The attendance of 105,464 for the 1976 Rose Bowl marks the largest crowd to ever witness a UCLA football game in the stadium.

The Bruins travel 26 miles from campus to Pasadena to play home games, but only 14 miles to their biggest road game at USC every other year.

Other Gridiron Events

Caltech, a university located in Pasadena, played most of its home games in the Rose Bowl from its construction until the school discontinued its football program in 1993. From 1946 to 1971 and 1976 to 1977, the stadium hosted the Junior Rose Bowl, a game that pitted the California Junior College football champions against the NJCAA football champions for the national championship. The Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce organized the event.

The Turkey Tussle, an annual football game between rival schools in the Pasadena Unified School District, John Muir High School and Pasadena High School, is also held at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

A Historic Army-Navy Game

In 1983, the Rose Bowl stadium became the first site west of the Mississippi River to host an Army-Navy Game. The game drew an attendance of 81,000. The game was brought to the Rose Bowl in recognition of the large number of military installations, servicemen and women, and retired military personnel on the West Coast.

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Super Bowl Legacy

The Rose Bowl has hosted the Super Bowl five times. The first was Super Bowl XI in January 1977, when the Oakland Raiders defeated the Minnesota Vikings 32-14. The game was also played there in 1980 (XIV), 1983 (XVII), 1987 (XXI) and 1993 (XXVII).

A Global Stage for Soccer

While primarily known as an American football stadium, the Rose Bowl is also a prominent venue for soccer. The United States men's national soccer team has played 17 games in the Rose Bowl, the fourth most of any venue. The stadium has also hosted numerous United States women's national team matches. In the past, it served as the home ground for two North American Soccer League clubs, the Los Angeles Wolves in 1968 and the Los Angeles Aztecs in 1978 and 1979.

The Rose Bowl holds the distinction of being one of two stadiums to have hosted the FIFA World Cup finals for both men and women. The Rose Bowl hosted the men's final in 1994 and the women's final in 1999. The Rose Bowl also hosted group stage matches of the Copa América Centenario in 2016 and several matches, including the final, of the 1984 Olympics men's soccer tournament.

AmericaFest: A Fourth of July Tradition

Since 1927, the Rose Bowl has been the site of the Pasadena "Americafest" Independence Day celebration. The annual fireworks show is renowned as one of the top fireworks displays in the nation.

Terry Donahue Pavilion: A Modern Addition

The seven-story Terry Donahue Pavilion, named after the former UCLA football head coach, is a prominent feature of the Rose Bowl. It houses the press boxes, broadcast booths, premium seating, boxes, and suites. The pavilion includes 54 luxury suites, 48 loge boxes, 1,200 club seats, state-of-the-art press boxes, and a new broadcast center. The previous press box has been replaced by a self-contained media area capable of accommodating 318 credentialed working press, along with a separate level dedicated to game day operations, including TV and radio broadcasting, instant replay booths, coaching staffs, and an emergency command center. In December 2015, the radio and TV booths were renamed "The Keith Jackson Broadcast Center."

Court of Champions and Commemorative Statues

The Court of Champions is located at the stadium's south end and features Rose Bowl game records along with the names of coaches and MVP players on plaques attached to the exterior wall. The Hall of Fame statue is also located at the Court of Champions. The 2014 renovation allows for more plaques to be placed on the wall and floor for future games.

In 2017, a statue of Jackie Robinson, who played football with Pasadena City College, was dedicated at the stadium. In 2019, a statue of Brandi Chastain was added outside of the south gate, depicting her celebration after scoring the winning penalty kick in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup final. Also in 2019, a statue honoring Keith Jackson was unveiled at the stadium's Rose Plaza.

Accessibility and Parking

The Rose Bowl can be challenging to access due to traffic congestion on the single-lane residential streets surrounding the stadium. Limited dedicated parking for visitors often results in lengthy delays, with visitors sometimes spending two to three hours completing the last mile to the stadium on game days. In the past, visitors primarily arrived via the Pacific Electric interurban streetcar system, but this service ended in 1958. Weather permitting, the 36 holes of Brookside Golf Course are used for parking. In 2016, the Rose Bowl contracted ParkJockey to streamline parking in and around the stadium.

UCLA Bruins Football: A Legacy of Excellence

The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles, in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. The Bruins have experienced periods of success throughout their history, consistently ranking among the top teams in the nation.

Their first major period of success came in the 1950s, under head coach Red Sanders. Sanders led the Bruins to the Coaches' Poll national championship in 1954, three conference championships, and an overall record of 66-19-1 in nine years. In the 1980s and 1990s, during the tenure of Terry Donahue, the Bruins compiled a 151-74-8 record, including 13 bowl games and an NCAA record eight straight bowl wins.

The program has produced 28 first round picks in the NFL Draft, 30 consensus All-Americans, and multiple major award winners, including Heisman Trophy winner Gary Beban. The Bruins were twice the Pac-12 Conference South Division champions, earning the right to play in Pac-12 Football Championship Games in both 2011 and 2012.

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