Rose Bowl Stadium

Lore & Background

The Rose Bowl is best known as a college football venue, specifically as the host of the annual Rose Bowl Game. Since 1982, it has served as the home stadium of the UCLA Bruins football team. Five Super Bowl games, third most of any venue, have been played in the stadium. The Rose Bowl is a noted soccer venue, having hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final, 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, and the gold medal match of 1984 Summer Olympics, as well as numerous CONCACAF, Copa America, and United States Soccer Federation matches. The Rose Bowl will host both the men’s and women’s soccer gold medal matches at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed against the quiet Pasadena sky on January 13, 1980. Inside the bowl, the air was crisp as the Silver and Black took the field in their iconic gear. Fans from both coasts filled the concrete tiers, sensing history unfolding on the grass gridiron. As the final whistle blew, the roar of victory echoed off the stadium walls, sealing a dynasty moment that would outlast the team's eventual move across the desert.

Reader's Guide

The stadium and adjacent Brookside Golf and Country Club are owned by the city of Pasadena and managed by the Rose Bowl Operating Company, a non-profit organization whose board is selected by council members of the city of Pasadena. UCLA and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses also have one member on the company board. The stadium is in a residential area. Streets are converted to one lane by the Pasadena Police Department to ease ingress and egress during major events. Weather permitting, the 36 holes of Brookside Golf Course are used for parking, providing 20,000 spaces. There are nine paved parking lots that provide spaces for another 6,000 vehicles.

Did You Know?

• The Rose Bowl was designed by architect Myron Hunt in 1921, influenced by the Yale Bowl.
• The stadium was originally built as a horseshoe; the southern stands were completed in 1928, enclosing it into a complete bowl.
• The first game was on October 28, 1922, when California defeated USC 12–0.
• The stadium's name was settled as 'Rose Bowl' before the 1923 Rose Bowl game.
• The Terry Donahue Pavilion is named for the former UCLA football head coach.