The nostalgia hit Ross Niederhaus within the grocery retailer as he stocked up for what may be his final Rose Bowl tailgate.
This has been almost a lifelong custom for the native of Linda Vista, beginning in 2005 when he was 8 years previous and UCLA romped over Oregon State. When he received his driver’s license in 2012, Niderhaus began throwing his personal tailgates, bringing chicken-in-a-biscuit crackers as a result of he couldn’t afford fancier fare.
He was again Saturday afternoon beneath a tent on the grass in Lot H, carrying his favourite No. 2 Eric McNeal jersey, probably right here for the final time because the Bruins ponder whether or not they are going to stay on the place they’ve referred to as residence since 1982 or transfer to SoFi Stadium for the 2026 season.
“I wish we knew whether or not this was the last time,” Niederhaus stated, “because if this was the last time for sure I could at least be saying my goodbyes to my favorite tradition. This is my favorite thing to do. My ashes are willed to be spread at the Rose Bowl.”
UCLA fan Ray Hoit units up a tent whereas tailgating on the Rose Bowl earlier than Saturday’s sport in opposition to Washington.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
On the opposite aspect of the stadium, on the sprawling Brookside Golf Course, Nicholaus Iamaleava was prepping his pregame tailgate beneath 4 tents alongside his brother Matt, the siblings anticipating about 60 members of the family to take pleasure in a potluck unfold of burgers, sizzling canine, wings, fries, sizzling hyperlinks, sushi and fried rice.
Each brothers have been hoping for extra tailgates to return exterior the century-old stadium. However simply in case, they have been getting ready for the choice.
“Today, we’re going to go in early,” stated Nicholaus Iamaleava, the daddy of the UCLA beginning quarterback by the identical title. “Normally we go in right before kickoff but this time, we’re going to go in and soak it all in, man. It might be the last game, right, so we want to enjoy every bit of it and just hang out.”
Matt Iamaleava stated he didn’t assume shifting to SoFi Stadium would remedy the attendance points plaguing the Bruins at their longtime residence.
UCLA fan Nathan Nguyen units up whereas tailgating exterior the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
“There’s nothing like playing at the Rose Bowl,” Iamaleava stated. “Hopefully, it works itself out.”
Added Nicholaus Iamaleava: “We’re praying on it. That would be great.”
Almost 6½ hours earlier than UCLA’s kickoff in opposition to Washington, Jamie Hickcox-Baker and Dee Fitzgerald-Cardello lugged a desk throughout the pavement in Lot Ok, having already unfurled a few folding chairs. The UCLA graduates have been awaiting the arrival of an enormous ice sculpture that might maintain margaritas for his or her group of 25 mates.
“I’m very sad because I live in Altadena and so this is in my backyard and I just hate to see it leave,” Fitzgerald-Cardello stated. “It’s just such a tradition. I’m very saddened by it.”
Although she’s been making the drive from Fresno to tailgate on the Rose Bowl since 1993, Hickcox-Baker was much less wistful a few doable transfer to SoFi Stadium.
UCLA fan Leki Manu throws a soccer exterior the Rose Bowl earlier than Saturday’s sport in opposition to Washington.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
“I kind of feel like we can talk tradition all we want,” Hickcox-Baker stated, “but we left the Pac-12 and the Pac-12 is no longer, so if there’s no tradition in the Rose Bowl game anymore, think about how college football has evolved. I’ve been to a few games at SoFi, it’s a beautiful stadium. The last few years, because our team hasn’t been doing well, we’re stuck in that 100-degree temperature [at the Rose Bowl] and nobody’s coming to the games.”
Again in Lot H, the scene took on the texture of a state truthful. The odor of burgers, brats and different grilled delicacies wafted via the air as kids performed soccer on the grass and a close-by patch of dust. One child kicked a soccer, commencing a mad scramble as a gaggle of mates converged on the article of their delight.
“This is one of the reasons why people come now,” longtime fan John Anderson stated, “is to be here with friends and be able to run around and throw a ball and stuff and if that can’t happen at SoFi, I think it will be a shame. So I don’t think they’re going to get the draw that they think they’re going to get — maybe a little bump for a couple of games and that’s it.”
UCLA followers tailgate earlier than Saturday’s sport on the Rose Bowl between UCLA and Washington.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
Anderson stated he missed one residence UCLA soccer sport during the last 16 years, and that was to attend a marriage. And if the Bruins transfer to SoFi?
“I’ll go to a game or two,” Anderson stated. “It really depends on what the pricing looks like.”
Neiderhaus stated he all the time would help the Bruins whereas conceding he may be within the minority.
“I’ll be there,” Niederhaus stated, “but I know a lot of people that won’t — a lot of people I know who are season-ticket holders said they’re not coming back, which I think is a big issue that UCLA needs to be acknowledging throughout all of this. A lot of die-hards care about the Rose Bowl just as much as they care about Bruin football, so who knows” how attendance will go.
