Pasadena, Rose Bowl Sue UCLA Over SoFi Move

The City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Company filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court to enforce UCLA’s lease, which runs through June 2044, alleging the Bruins have taken steps to breach the contract by seeking to relocate home games to SoFi Stadium and pointing to a lease non-compete clause that bars home games at other Los Angeles-area facilities except in cases of a “Game‑Threatening Default.” The complaint says taxpayers invested about $150 million in Rose Bowl renovations and $130 million in bonds and claims a move could cost Pasadena up to $1 billion in damages, calling UCLA’s actions a “profound betrayal of trust.” UCLA says no final decision has been made and its outside counsel argues preliminary discussions do not constitute a material breach of the lease. Reported motivation for exploring SoFi is declining attendance — UCLA has averaged roughly 35,000 fans at recent home games — and SoFi is closer to campus and offers modern NFL amenities. The dispute highlights tensions between tradition at the Rose Bowl and financial and competitive considerations as UCLA navigates recent athletic changes.