Those that need to keep on the Rose Bowl describe the place as iconic, an ode to every part that’s nice about school soccer. They are saying it oozes historical past and custom. Simply the sight of the glowing neon signal is sufficient to give them goosebumps.
Those that need to go name the place a dump. They are saying it’s outdated and decaying by the day, a shell of its former greatness. Why maintain on so laborious when a futuristic stadium in Inglewood may present not solely a house nearer to campus but additionally an infusion of money as a part of a extra favorable lease?
Going into what could possibly be UCLA’s final residence recreation ever at its century-old stadium Saturday night time, some with deep ties to the varsity say they perceive every of the dueling views within the debate over a doable transfer to SoFi Stadium.
“The concern is, are you gonna lose part of your identity, which has been in peril lately already?” mentioned Kris Farris, a former All-America offensive deal with with the Bruins who was among the many greater than half-dozen former greats and present recruits who spoke with The Occasions in regards to the scenario. “So it’s like you’re taking away another special part of UCLA, but of course everyone understands the upside financially and what the program needs to do in the arms race of college football right now.”
Formally, nothing has been determined. College officers have launched two statements in current weeks, each acknowledging the uncertainty of the scenario. It’s believed that if UCLA determined to make a transfer to SoFi Stadium, the Bruins would need to accomplish that earlier than the 2026 season.
However the courts may have the ultimate say. The Rose Bowl Working Co. and the Metropolis of Pasadena have commenced a authorized battle with hopes of forcing the group to remain. Having known as the stadium residence since transferring in earlier than the 1982 season below legendary coach Terry Donahue, UCLA dedicated to a lease that doesn’t expire till the summer season of 2044.
“I just really feel if Terry was here, I think he’d say, ‘What’s the hurry?’ ” mentioned Pat Donahue, one of many late coach’s brothers. “You have a lease, why don’t you underwrite what the issues are and if you feel you made a bad deal, go renegotiate. You know, I just don’t know what the hurry is and it seems to me that UCLA has a lot bigger football problems than the Rose Bowl, right? I mean, the building’s on fire and you wanna remodel the garden.”
Just one factor appears sure: UCLA is not going to play residence video games on campus, as so many have proposed through the years. A motion to construct a soccer stadium on the spot now occupied by Drake Stadium died in 1965 amid opposition from college students, political leaders and native owners. Not solely did the College of California regents rebuff the stadium bid, additionally they decreed that no construction constructed on the Drake Stadium footprint may later be enlarged right into a soccer stadium.
Thus the present dilemma. Does UCLA maintain its phrase and fulfill a Rose Bowl lease wherein it loses tens of millions of {dollars} yearly in alternative prices as a result of it doesn’t absorb suite or sponsorship income? Or do the Bruins head to SoFi Stadium for a brand new starting flush with money, if not custom?
“In the long term, if you look at the UCLA program, SoFi makes a whole lot more sense whether you like it or not,” mentioned former Bruins quarterback Gary Beban, who led the group to an upset of top-ranked Michigan State within the 1966 Rose Bowl and received the varsity’s solely Heisman Trophy in 1967.
Beban performed for UCLA groups that known as the Coliseum residence, lengthy earlier than the Bruins moved to the Rose Bowl. He mentioned initially he wasn’t a supporter of UCLA enjoying in Pasadena due to a 26.2-mile commute from campus, acknowledging the problem appeared to be largely offset by wild early success the group loved whereas showing in 5 Rose Bowl video games between 1983 and 1999.
With the Bruins caught in a decadelong funk, making that lengthy commute has change into extra burdensome, resulting in dwindling attendance at a stadium that’s roughly twice the space from UCLA than SoFi Stadium.
“It’s a convenience issue for the people at the campus and over a longer period of time,” Beban mentioned, “I think eventually SoFi just makes more sense than the Rose Bowl. … Right now, this is being looked at at a time when the program needs a lot of fresh air. Regardless of how big of a supporter you are, there are a list of things that need to be advanced and this is just one of them. Maybe it’s time to start all over in all directions and try to get going in the right direction.”
Considered one of Beban’s teammates favors holding on extra tightly to the previous. Jim Colletto, co-captain of the 1966 Rose Bowl champions, mentioned standing on that subject makes one really feel like he’s enjoying or teaching with the ghosts of legends.
Earlier than his return to the Rose Bowl as UCLA’s offensive line coach in 2006, Colletto walked to the two-yard line, the place former teammate Bob Stiles had made a goal-line stand 40 years earlier by stopping Michigan State fullback Bob Apisa on a possible tying two-point conversion.
“I closed my eyes,” Colletto mentioned, “and it all came alive again.”
Which stadium do doable future UCLA gamers need to name residence?
Kenneth Moore III, a large receiver from St. Mary’s Excessive in Stockton who has verbally dedicated to the Bruins, mentioned he’d want to play at SoFi Stadium. So far as he’s involved, the stadium that opened in 2020 is nearer to campus and would create a greater surroundings than the group has skilled on the Rose Bowl, the place it’s averaging solely 37,099 followers this season.
“I feel it’ll be more involvement from the fans after going to SoFi,” Moore mentioned, “to have more packed-out stands.”
Cooper Javorsky has remained a continuing presence on the Rose Bowl even after decommitting from UCLA within the wake of coach DeShaun Foster’s dismissal. The offensive lineman from San Juan Hills Excessive who remains to be contemplating the Bruins has developed an affinity for the place based mostly on his many weekends spent on the sideline watching video games.
“I don’t think I’m really in a position to have an opinion,” Javorsky mentioned, “but who wouldn’t think it’s cool to run out at the Rose Bowl on a Saturday?”
One widespread lament is the doable lack of unfettered tailgating on a sprawling golf course and surrounding parking heaps. Farris mentioned throwing a soccer on the grass and cooking meals in an open house was the a part of the game-day expertise that his youngsters appeared ahead to most once they have been youthful.
“At SoFi, just having attended some professional games there, they just don’t have the tailgating experience,” Farris mentioned. “The tailgating at the Rose Bowl is special, it’s unique. You know, it’s not a paved parking lot with a small little stall.”
Listening to that UCLA’s recreation towards Washington on Saturday could possibly be the group’s final one contained in the stadium he as soon as known as residence has motivated Farris to make the drive from Orange County. It may signify one remaining reminiscence for somebody who was a part of the final Bruins group to play in a Rose Bowl recreation.
“There’s nothing like it,” Farris mentioned of the place. “I’ve played in a lot of different stadiums and obviously the backdrop and the size and scale of the Rose Bowl, the history of the Rose Bowl, the energy coming from the fans and just the history in that building and to be able to call it your home as a program and that’s your home field and being able to dominate in that time like we were able to do as a team, I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
Almost everybody who weighed within the stadium debate agreed that profitable would resolve a lot of UCLA’s issues no matter the place it performed, drawing extra followers and income. However Dave Ball, a former Bruins All-America defensive finish, mentioned there was a caveat that must be hooked up to that sentiment.
“Yes, winning solves everything,” Ball mentioned, “but it’s like to me, the resources are the thing, especially now, that are going to promote winning. It’s like, man, you need to have the players and to have the players you need big budgets and an environment that is like swooning over the kids and Ohio State has that, Alabama has that, a lot of the SEC schools have that, and so a great coach who starts to get the program going will instill more excitement and more money, but you do need a lot of the budget and the resources to get that top-tier coach and those top-tier athletes.
“This thing is a game of moving onto the next and what matters to everybody is, do you win football games, championships, bowl games or not?”
