Rose Bowl (stadium) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rose Bowl

America's Stadium
Aerial view from south in 2018
Rose Bowl Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Rose Bowl Location in California Show map of California Rose Bowl Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Address	1001 Rose Bowl Drive
Location	Pasadena, California, U.S.
Coordinates	34°09′40″N 118°10′05″W / 34.161°N 118.168°W / 34.161; -118.168
Public transit	Memorial Park Del Mar (Via ARTS Bus Line)
Owner	City of Pasadena
Operator	Rose Bowl Operating Company
Capacity	92,542
Record attendance	106,869 (1973 Rose Bowl)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Broke ground	1922
Opened	October 28, 1922 first Rose Bowl game: January 1, 1923
Construction cost	$272,198 ($4.76 million in 2022 )
Architect	Myron Hunt
Tenants
Rose Bowl Game (NCAA) 1923–present Caltech Beavers (NCAA) 1923–1976 Loyola Lions (NCAA) 1951 CSULA Diablos 1957–1960, 1963–1969 Los Angeles Wolves (NASL) 1968 Pasadena Bowl 1946–1966, 1969–1971 Los Angeles Aztecs (NASL) 1978–1979 UCLA Bruins (NCAA) 1982–present Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) 1996–2002
The Rose Bowl
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
NRHP reference No.	87000755
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	February 27, 1987
Designated NHL	February 27, 1987

The Rose Bowl is a famous outdoor sports stadium in Pasadena, California. It opened in October 1922. This stadium is a special place, recognized as a National Historic Landmark. It is also a California Historic Civil Engineering landmark. With seats for 92,542 people, the Rose Bowl is one of the largest stadiums in the world. It is also one of the biggest in the United States.

The Rose Bowl is best known for college football games. It hosts the yearly Rose Bowl Game, which is named after the stadium. Since 1982, it has also been the home stadium for the UCLA Bruins football team. The stadium has hosted five Super Bowl games. This is the third most of any stadium. The Rose Bowl is also a big place for soccer. It hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. It also hosted the 1984 Olympic Soccer Gold Medal Match. Many other soccer games have been played here too.

The city of Pasadena owns the stadium and the nearby Brookside Golf and Country Club. A non-profit group called the Rose Bowl Operating Company manages them. This group has members chosen by the city council. UCLA and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses also have a member on the board.

History of the Rose Bowl Stadium

Building the Famous Rose Bowl

Construction in 1921. Notice the original horseshoe shape!

Before the Rose Bowl Stadium, the Rose Bowl Game was played at Tournament Park. This park was about 3 miles away. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association organizes the game. They saw that the temporary seats were not enough for big crowds. So, they decided to build a new, permanent stadium.

Architect Myron Hunt designed the stadium in 1921. He was inspired by the Yale Bowl in Connecticut. The Arroyo Seco area was chosen for the stadium. Construction began in February 1922 and finished in October 1922. The nearby Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was also being built then. It was finished shortly after the Rose Bowl.

The stadium first looked like a horseshoe. More seats were added in 1928. This made it a full bowl shape. The field faces almost north–south. The stadium is about 830 feet above sea level.

The stadium was first called "Tournament of Roses Stadium." Then it was called "Tournament of Roses Bowl." Before the 1923 Rose Bowl game, its name became "Rose Bowl." This name was inspired by the Yale Bowl.

Getting to the stadium can be tricky because of traffic. It does not have a special parking lot for visitors. People often spend hours getting to the stadium on game days. In 2016, the Rose Bowl hired a company to help with parking. Long ago, most visitors came by streetcar. This service stopped in 1958. Now, there are shuttles to help people get there. Mobile lights help people see when walking on the golf course at night.

First Games and Dedication

The very first game at the Rose Bowl was on October 28, 1922. California beat USC 12–0. This was a regular season game. California was undefeated that season. They did not play in the 1923 Rose Bowl game. USC played instead.

The stadium was officially dedicated on January 1, 1923. USC beat Penn State 14–3 that day.

Stadium Seating Changes

The stadium's seating has changed many times since 1922. More seats were added to complete the bowl shape. In 1969, the old wooden benches were replaced with aluminum ones. New grandstand and loge seats were put in after 1971. Before the 1980 Rose Bowl, 22,000 seats got new red backs.

More improvements were made for UCLA's move in 1982. Also, for the 1984 Summer Olympics, 50,000 seats got new backs. For many years, the Rose Bowl had the most seats for football in the U.S. Later, Michigan Stadium became larger. The Rose Bowl's biggest capacity was 104,091 from 1972 to 1997. Some seats near the field were covered during UCLA games.

The official seating capacity was lowered after the 1998 Rose Bowl. Today, the capacity is around 92,542. The 2006 Rose Bowl game had 93,986 people. The 2011 game had 94,118. The Rose Bowl is still the largest stadium for post-season bowl games. For concerts, it holds almost 60,000 people. In 2014, renovations removed some lower seats. This made it easier to get in and out of the stadium.

Modernizing the Rose Bowl

UCLA–USC football game at the Rose Bowl in 2008. Both teams wore home jerseys.

The press box was updated in 1962. It got an elevator and more rows. It was updated again for UCLA's move and the 1984 Olympics. From 2011 to 2013, the press box was part of a big renovation. This project cost about $170 million. Most of the planned changes were finished by 2013.

Some things like new restrooms and entry gates were delayed. The stadium started a "Brick Campaign" to help pay for costs. This campaign finished in 2014. It has a large logo of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. Donor bricks are arranged by universities near the south entrance. A large 30-foot tall by 77-foot wide LED video screen was added to the north end.

Court of Champions and Terry Donahue Pavilion

The Court of Champions is at the south end of the stadium. Here, you can see plaques with Rose Bowl game records. They list coaches and MVP players. The Hall of Fame statue is also there. The 2014 renovation allowed more plaques to be added. In 2019, a statue of soccer star Brandi Chastain was added. It shows her celebrating her winning penalty kick in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup final.

The seven-story Terry Donahue Pavilion is named after a former UCLA football coach. He is the most successful coach in UCLA and Pac-12 history. This pavilion has press boxes, broadcast booths, and fancy seating. It has 54 luxury suites and 1,200 club seats. The new press box can hold 318 reporters. It also has areas for TV, radio, and game operations. The radio and TV booths were named "The Keith Jackson Broadcast Center" in 2015. Keith Jackson was a sportscaster who called the Rose Bowl game "The Granddaddy of Them All".

Top Sports Venue Rankings

In 1999, Sports Illustrated magazine listed the Rose Bowl as one of the top 20 venues of the 20th century. In 2007, the same magazine called the Rose Bowl the number one venue in college sports.

Football Games at the Rose Bowl

The Famous Rose Bowl Game

The Rose Bowl stadium is most famous for hosting the Rose Bowl Game. This is a special college football game played after the Tournament of Roses Parade. It happens on New Year's Day, or January 2 if New Year's Day is a Sunday. The stadium's name led to the term "bowl game" for other post-season football games.

The Rose Bowl Game is often called "The Granddaddy of Them All." This is because it is the oldest of all bowl games. Seeing the sun set on the San Gabriel Mountains during the game is a big tradition. Since 1945, the Rose Bowl has had the most fans of any college football bowl game.

The Rose Bowl stadium has hosted the game every year since it opened. The only exceptions were 1942 and 2021. The 1942 Rose Bowl was moved to North Carolina. This was due to safety worries after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The 2021 Rose Bowl was played in Texas. This was because of rules in California during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BCS National Championship Games

Texas and Alabama in January 2010

Florida State and Auburn in January 2014

Since 1998, the Rose Bowl has been part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The 2002 and 2006 Rose Bowl games were also the BCS Championship games. These games matched the top two BCS teams. The 2010 BCS National Championship Game was played a few days after the Rose Bowl game. It was a separate event. The stadium also hosted the 2014 BCS National Championship Game. This was the last game before the BCS was replaced by the College Football Playoff.

Note: *USC later gave up all wins from this season.

College Football Playoff Semifinals

The Rose Bowl Game is one of the six main bowls in the College Football Playoff (CFP). This system replaced the BCS in 2014. Every three years, the Rose Bowl hosts a CFP semifinal game. Two of the top four teams play for a spot in the national championship game. The first CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl was the 2015 Rose Bowl. The winner went on to the championship game in Texas.

The Rose Bowl can bid to host the College Football Playoff Championship Game. But it does not plan to do so in years it is not hosting a semifinal.

UCLA Bruins Football Home Field

Previous Rose Bowl records at the Hall of Champions

The Rose Bowl stadium has been the home field for UCLA since 1982. Before that, the UCLA Bruins played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. There was a plan to build a stadium on the UCLA campus. But people living nearby and some politicians stopped it.

In 1982, the Oakland Raiders were moving into the Coliseum. So, UCLA decided to move its home games to the Rose Bowl. The Bruins then played in two Rose Bowl games in their new home stadium. These were the 1983 Rose Bowl and the 1984 Rose Bowl. UCLA has played in five Rose Bowl games since moving there.

The stadium also hosts the UCLA–USC rivalry football game every two years. It switches with the Coliseum. In the first rivalry game at the Rose Bowl in 1982, USC fans sat on one side and UCLA fans on the other. Both teams also wore their home uniforms. In 1984, USC fans moved to the end zone seats. This ended the shared stadium tradition. Both schools have good records in each other's home stadium. The Bruins travel 26 miles from their campus to Pasadena for home games. But they only travel 14 miles to USC for their biggest away game.

Caltech Beavers Football

Caltech, a university in Pasadena, played most of its home games at the Rose Bowl. This was from the time it was built until the school stopped playing football in 1993. Caltech used to joke that they played in front of the most empty seats in the country.

Junior Rose Bowl and Army–Navy Game

The stadium hosted the Junior Rose Bowl from 1946 to 1971 and again from 1976 to 1977. This game matched California Junior College champions against national junior college champions. It later became the Pasadena Bowl.

The Rose Bowl stadium is the only place west of the Mississippi River to host an Army–Navy Game. This happened in 1983. The city of Pasadena paid for the travel costs for students and fans from both the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Military Academy. About 81,000 people attended. The game was held there because many military people live on the West Coast.

Super Bowl Games

The stadium has hosted the Super Bowl five times. The first was Super Bowl XI in January 1977. The Oakland Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings 32–14. It also hosted Super Bowls in 1980, 1983, 1987, and 1993. The Rose Bowl is one of only two stadiums to host a Super Bowl without being a full-time home for an NFL team.

The NFL has a rule that Super Bowls are usually held in cities with NFL teams. So, the Rose Bowl has not hosted a Super Bowl since 1995. That is when the Rams and Raiders left Los Angeles. The Rams returned to Los Angeles in 2016. The Chargers moved there in 2017. They now play in SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

There were talks about an NFL team playing at the Rose Bowl temporarily. But it never happened. When the Rams moved back to Los Angeles, they played at USC's Coliseum. The Chargers played at another temporary venue.

Soccer at the Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl is also one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world. It hosted the important 1994 FIFA World Cup Final. Over 700 million people watched this event. It also hosted the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. This was the most attended women's soccer match ever. Plus, it hosted the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal Match. This makes it the only stadium in the world to host all three major international soccer championship matches.

The U.S. men's national soccer team has played 17 games at the Rose Bowl. The U.S. women's national team has played 5 matches there. It has also hosted the MLS Cup 1998 and two CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals. The Mexican national team has played many friendly games there too.

In the past, two North American Soccer League teams played here. These were the Los Angeles Wolves and the Los Angeles Aztecs. From 1996 to 2002, the Major League Soccer team L.A. Galaxy called the Rose Bowl home.

Major Soccer Tournaments

The Rose Bowl is one of only two stadiums to host both men's and women's FIFA World Cup finals. It hosted the men's final in 1994 and the women's final in 1999. Both finals at the Rose Bowl ended in a tie. They were decided by penalty shootouts. Brazil beat Italy in 1994. The U.S. beat China in 1999.

The Rose Bowl also hosted games for the Copa América Centenario in 2016. It hosted several matches, including the final, for the 1984 Olympics men's soccer tournament. In 2016, it hosted a game between Chelsea and Liverpool. In 2018, F.C. Barcelona played Tottenham Hotspur there. It has also regularly hosted CONCACAF Gold Cup matches.

The Rose Bowl might host games for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will also be a venue for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Other Events and Uses

Pasadena Community Events

4th of July Fireworks over the Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl has hosted Pasadena's "Americafest" Independence Day party since 1927. This yearly fireworks show is one of the best in the country. Another local event is the Rose Bowl Flea Market. It happens on the second Sunday of each month in the stadium parking lots. It claims to be the biggest flea market on the West Coast.

The stadium also hosts the yearly "Turkey Tussle" football game. This is a homecoming game between John Muir High School and Pasadena High School. It takes place in early November. The Rose Bowl used to host graduation ceremonies for local high schools. Now, those ceremonies are held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

1932 Summer Olympics Cycling

The Rose Bowl was used for track cycling during the 1932 Summer Olympics.

Concerts at the Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl has hosted many famous concerts.

Other Events and Activities

In the 1940s, the stadium was used for midget car racing.

The first country music festival, "A Day in the Country," was held here in June 1981.

The stadium hosted the 2007 Drum Corps International World Championships. This was the only time these championships were held west of Denver.

It hosted auditions for the TV show American Idol in 2006. The stadium was also used for a music video by the band The All-American Rejects.

The Court of Champions was featured on the TV show The Amazing Race. Teams had to help decorate a float for the Rose Parade.

In 1997, the International Churches of Christ held a worship service there. About 17,000 people attended.

The Brookside Golf Course hosted the Los Angeles Open golf tournament in 1968.

The Rose Bowl Today

A large card stunt at the 2004 Rose Bowl Game.

The Rose Bowl and its golf course are managed by the Rose Bowl Operating Company. This is a non-profit group. UCLA and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses also have members on its board. In 2007, it was reported that the stadium itself lost money each year. It made money from UCLA's lease ($1.5 million) and the Tournament of Roses ($900,000). It also made money from the flea market ($900,000). But it covered its losses with money from the golf course ($2 million).

The stadium needed many updates to be modern. These included new seats, wider aisles, and a new press box. The estimated cost for these improvements was very high. The stadium has long-term leases with the Tournament of Roses (until 2019) and UCLA (until 2023). In 2006, the Rose Bowl started a $16.3 million improvement program. This helped both UCLA and the Tournament of Roses. New locker rooms and a media interview area were built.

In 2009, the Rose Bowl Operating Company shared a plan. It aimed to improve safety, fan experience, and get more money for updates. In 2010, the Pasadena City Council approved a $152 million plan for major renovations. Work began in 2011. The new video board was used for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final. The costs grew to $194 million by 2012. Most renovations were finished by 2016. The leases with the Rose Bowl and UCLA were extended to 2043 and 2044.

In 2019, the Rose Bowl made a profit of $335,000. However, fewer people are using the golf course. Also, fewer people are attending UCLA football games. The stadium had $211.8 million in debt at the start of 2020. By law, the Rose Bowl can only host 15 major events each year. But it can host many small events, like weddings. These small events brought in $1.5 million in 2019.

Important Dates and Records

Seating and Attendance Records

• Rose Bowl Game Record: The 1973 Rose Bowl on January 1, 1973, had 106,869 people. This was for the game between undefeated USC and Ohio State. It is the stadium's highest attendance ever for a bowl game. The smallest crowd for a Rose Bowl game was 35,000 in 1934. This was because of heavy rain. After the 1998 renovations, the largest crowd for a Rose Bowl Game was 95,173 in 2014.
• NFL Super Bowl Record: Super Bowl XIV on January 20, 1980, had 103,985 fans. This was for the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams game. It is an NFL post-season record.
• 1984 Summer Olympics Football: On August 11, France beat Brazil 2–0 in the final. The attendance was 101,799. This set a record for the largest soccer crowd in the United States at the time.
• College Football Regular Season Record: The UCLA–USC rivalry game on November 19, 1988, had 100,741 people. This game featured undefeated USC and UCLA. After the 1998 renovations, the largest regular season crowd was 91,084 for the 2002 UCLA-USC game. The first game at the Rose Bowl in 1922 had 35,000 people.
• Professional Soccer Record: On June 16, 1996, 92,216 fans watched the U.S. men's national team play Mexico. This was followed by a game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Tampa Bay Mutiny. This was the largest crowd for a U.S. professional soccer league match.
• 1994 FIFA World Cup Final: The final on July 17, 1994, had 94,194 people. Brazil beat Italy in a penalty shootout.
• 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final: The final on July 10, 1999, had 90,185 people. This is the most attended women's sports event in history. The U.S. beat China in a penalty shootout.
• 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final: On June 25, 2011, 93,420 fans watched Mexico beat the United States 4–2.
• Soccer Exhibition Match: On August 1, 2009, 93,137 people watched F.C. Barcelona beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2–1. This was the largest soccer attendance in the U.S. since the 1994 World Cup.
• Concert Record: The British-Irish band One Direction played 3 sold-out shows in September 2014. They were the first act to do this at the Rose Bowl.

Other Important Dates

• November 17, 2012: The Rose Bowl press box was named the Terry Donahue Pavilion. Terry Donahue is the winningest coach in the history of the Pac-12 Conference.
• June 8, 2013: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the new pavilion.
• July 7, 2013: A record 566 mariachi musicians performed at halftime during a 2013 Gold Cup game.

Images for kids

• 

  Exterior of the Rose Bowl stadium before the renovation

See also

In Spanish: Estadio Rose Bowl para niños