As UCLA looks to rebuild its football program with a new head coach, the university has found itself engulfed in a lawsuit about a potential move away from its longtime home, the Rose Bowl.
The city of Pasadena, which owns the Rose Bowl, on Monday applied for a temporary restraining order to prevent UCLA from playing home games at SoFi Stadium (or any other Los Angeles–area facility) after multiple reports that a 2026 move to the $5 billion NFL venue was imminent.
UCLA’s lease at the Rose Bowl, where the football team has played home games since 1982, runs through 2044. But on Sunday, Bruin Report Online first reported the program was finalizing plans to play at SoFi Stadium as soon as next year.
Monday’s request for a temporary restraining order, made in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, came after an initial lawsuit was filed Oct. 29. A Pasadena spokesperson was not able to comment on Monday’s filing when reached by Front Office Sports, but did point to a previous statement on the matter, which read in part:
“The City of Pasadena took the unfortunate but necessary step of filing a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court to enforce a lease agreement between the Rose Bowl Stadium and UCLA. That lease agreement is unambiguous, explicitly stating there is no option for UCLA to terminate the lease prior to its expiration in 2044. Notwithstanding the clear language of the lease, a representative from UCLA has notified the City and the Rose Bowl of UCLA’s intent to take steps that will breach the agreement.”
UCLA does not pay rent at the Rose Bowl, but also doesn’t receive revenue from luxury suite ticket sales or stadium sponsorships, which it would look to do if it played at SoFi Stadium. The school did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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The Bruins are 3–6 this season, having gone 3–3 since firing coach DeShaun Foster following an 0–3 start. Foster is owed a buyout of more than $6 million.
UCLA’s five home games this season have averaged 37,098 fans at the 90,000-seat Rose Bowl, which is 25 miles away from campus. SoFi Stadium, which has a capacity of 70,000, is about 13 miles away from UCLA.
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