Those who want to stay in Rose bowl describe the venue as iconic, an ode to everything good about college football. They say it exudes history and tradition. Just a view glowing neon sign it's enough to give them goosebumps.
Those who want to go call this place a dump. They say it is old and is being destroyed every day, the skeleton of its former greatness. Why hold on so tightly when futuristic stadium in Inglewood could they provide not only a house closer to campus, but also an infusion of money through a more favorable lease?
Going into what could have been UCLAWith the final home game at its century-old stadium Saturday night, some with deep ties to the school say they understand each of the contentious sides in the debate over a possible move to SoFi Stadium.
“The worry is, will you lose a part of your identity that has been in danger lately?” said Chris Farrisa former All-American forward for the Bruins who was among more than a half-dozen former greats and current recruits who spoke with The Times about the situation. “So it feels like you're taking away another special part of UCLA, but of course everyone understands the financial potential and what the program needs to do in the college football arms race right now.”
Nothing has been officially decided. School officials have issued two statements in recent weeks, both acknowledging the uncertainty of the situation. It is believed that if UCLA decided to move to Sophie Stadium, the Bruins would want to do so before the 2026 season.
But the courts may have the final say. Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the city of Pasadena began a legal battle in hopes of forcing the team to stay. Having called the stadium home since moving into it before the 1982 season under the guidance of a legendary coach. Terry DonahueUCLA has entered into a lease that does not expire until the summer of 2044.
“I just feel like if Terry were here, I think he would say, 'What's the rush?' said Pat Donahue, one of the late coach's brothers. “You have a lease, why don't you state what the problems are, and if you feel like you got a bad deal, renegotiate the terms. You know, I just don't know what the rush is, and I think UCLA has a much bigger football problem than the Rose Bowl, right? I mean, the building is on fire and you want to rebuild the grounds.”
Only one thing seems certain: UCLA will not play home games on campus, as many have proposed over the years. The movement to build a football stadium on the site now occupied by Drake Stadium stalled in 1965 due to opposition from students, political leaders and local homeowners. The UC Regents not only rejected the stadium application, but also ruled that no structure built on the Drake Stadium site could subsequently be expanded into a football stadium.
Thus the current dilemma. Is UCLA keeping its word and honoring its Rose Bowl lease under which it loses millions of dollars each year in opportunity costs because it receives no revenue from suites or sponsorships? Or will the Bruins head to Sophie Stadium for a fresh start with money, if not tradition?
“Long term, if you look at the UCLA program, SoFi makes a lot more sense, whether you like it or not,” the former Bruins defenseman said. Gary Burdenwho led the team to an upset of top-ranked Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl and won the school's only Heisman Trophy in 1967.
Beban played for UCLA teams that called the Coliseum home long before the Bruins moved to the Rose Bowl. He initially said he was not in favor of UCLA playing in Pasadena due to the 26.2-mile commute from campus, acknowledging that this problem seemed to be largely offset by the stunning early success the team enjoyed, appearing in five Rose Bowl games between 1983 and 1999.
As the Bruins have been in a state of panic for decades, long commutes have become more onerous, reducing attendance at the stadium, which is about twice as far from UCLA as Sophie Stadium.
“It's a matter of convenience for people on campus and for a longer period of time,” Beban said. “I think at the end of the day SoFi just makes more sense than the Rose Bowl. … Right now, this issue is being addressed at a time when the program needs a lot of fresh air. No matter how big of a supporter you are, there is a list of things that need to be moved forward, and this is just one of them. It may be time to start over in all directions and try to move in the right direction.”
One of Beban's teammates is choosing to hold on tighter to the past. Jim CollettoOne of the captains of the 1966 Rose Bowl champions said that standing on this field felt like he was playing or coaching the ghosts of legends.
Before his return to the Rose Bowl as UCLA's offensive line coach in 2006, Colletto walked to the two-yard line where former teammate Bob Stiles had taken position on the goal line 40 years earlier, stopping Michigan State quarterback Bob Apisa on a potential tying two-point conversion.
“I closed my eyes,” Colletto said, “and everything came to life again.”
Which stadium do potential future UCLA players want to call home?
Kenneth Moore III, a wide receiver from St. Mary's School in Stockton who is a vocal supporter of the Bruins, said he would prefer to play at Sophie Stadium. He said the stadium, which opened in 2020, is closer to campus and will create a better environment than what the team experienced at the Rose Bowl, where average of only 37,099 fans this season.
“I feel like after visiting SoFi, fans will be more involved in the event,” Moore said, “so there will be more filled booths.”
Cooper Jaworski continued to be a constant presence at the Rose Bowl even after he left UCLA following firing of coach DeShawn Foster. The San Juan Hills High forward, who is still considering a transfer to the Bruins, has become attached to the place based on his many weekends spent on the sideline watching games.
“I don’t think I really have the right to have an opinion,” Jaworski said, “but who wouldn’t think it was cool to run out at the Rose Bowl on Saturday?”
One widespread regret is the possible loss of unobstructed tailgates on the expansive golf course and adjacent parking lots. Farris said throwing a soccer ball on the grass and cooking in the open space was the part of game day his kids looked forward to most when they were younger.
“At SoFi, just having been there for a few pro games, they just don’t have that experience,” Farris said. “Tailgate at the Rose Bowl is special, it's unique. You know, it's not a paved parking lot with a little concession stand.”
Hearing that UCLA's game Saturday against Washington could be the team's last game at the stadium it once called home prompted Farris to make the trip from Orange County. This could be the last memory for the man who was part of the last Bruins team to play in the Rose Bowl.
“There’s nothing like it,” Farris said of the place. “I've played in a lot of different stadiums and obviously the backdrop and the size and the caliber of the Rose Bowl and the history of the Rose Bowl and the energy that comes from the fans and just the history of that building and being able to call it home as a program and it's your home field and being able to dominate while we were able to do that as a team, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.”
Nearly everyone involved in the stadium debate agreed that a win would solve many of UCLA's problems no matter where it plays, attracting more fans and revenue. But Dave Ball, the Bruins' former American defenseman, said there was a caveat to that sentiment.
“Yeah, winning is everything,” Ball said, “but to me, resources are what, especially now, are going to drive winning. It's like, man, you need players, and in order to have players, you need big budgets and an environment that's like swooning kids, and Ohio State has it, Alabama has it, a lot of SEC schools have it, and so a great coach that starts running a program is going to cause more excitement and more money, but you need a big budget and resources to recruit top level coaching and top level athletes.
“This game represents the transition to the next one, and what matters to everyone is, do you win football games, championships, bowling games or not?”
