Rose Bowl ( stadium ) The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena , California , U . S . , in Los Angeles County . The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game , the Rose Bowl , held on New Year ' s Day . In 1982 , it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac - 12 Conference . It hosted events during the 1932 and Olympics , and was the venue for the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final and the 1999 FIFA Women ' s World Cup Final . The natural grass playing field runs in a north – south configuration and sits at an elevation of 825 feet ( 251 m ) above sea level . The stadium is a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering Landmark . History . The game now known as the Rose Bowl Game was played at Tournament Park until 1922 . The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association , the game ' s organizer , realized that the temporary stands were inadequate for a crowd of more than 40 , 000 , and sought to build a better , permanent stadium . Design . The stadium was designed by architect Myron Hunt in 1921 . His design was influenced by the Yale Bowl in New Haven , Connecticut , which was built in 1913 , opened in 1914 . The Arroyo Seco was selected as the location for the stadium . Originally built as a horseshoe , the stadium was expanded several times over the years . The southern stands were completed in 1928 , making the stadium a complete bowl . Construction 1921 - 1922 . The Rose Bowl was under construction from 1921 to 1922 . The nearby Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum also was under construction during this time and would be completed in May 1923 shortly before The Rose Bowl was completed . Dedication October 1922 . The first game was a regular season contest on October 28 , 1922 when Cal defeated USC 12 – 0 . This was the only loss for USC and California finished the season undefeated . California declined the invitation to the 1923 Rose Bowl game and USC went in their place . The stadium was dedicated officially on January 1 , 1923 when USC defeated Penn State 14 – 3 . " The Rose Bowl " . The name of the stadium was alternatively " Tournament of Roses Stadium " or " Tournament of Roses Bowl " , until being settled as " Rose Bowl " before the 1923 Rose Bowl game , in reference to the unusually named ( at the time ) " Yale Bowl " . Seating . The stadium seating has been reconfigured several times since its original construction in 1922 . The South end was filled in to complete the bowl and more seats have been added . The original wooden benches were replaced by aluminum benches in 1969 . All new grandstand and loge seats had been installed since 1971 . New red seat backs had been added on 22 , 000 seats prior to the 1980 Rose Bowl . A Rose Bowl improvement was conducted because of UCLA ' s 1982 move and the 1984 Summer Olympics . This resulted in new seat backs for 50 , 000 seats . For many years , the Rose Bowl had the largest Football stadium capacity in the United States , eventually being surpassed by Michigan Stadium then later by the Pennsylvania State University ' s upgrade to Beaver Stadium ( 110 , 753 ) in 2000 . The Rose Bowl ' s maximum stated seating capacity was 104 , 091 from 1972 to 1997 . Some of the seats closest to the field were never used during this time for UCLA regular season games , and were covered by tarps . Official capacity was lowered following the 1998 Rose Bowl . Slightly different figures are given for the current capacity , for the lower level seats behind the team benches are not used for some events since the spectators can not see through the standing players or others on the field . UCLA reports the capacity at 91 , 136 . The Tournament of Roses reports the capacity at 92 , 542 . The 2006 Rose Bowl game , which was also the BCS championship game , had a crowd of 93 , 986 . In the 2011 contest between TCU and Wisconsin , the listed attendance is 94 , 118 . As of 2008 , the Rose Bowl is the 8th largest football stadium , and is still the largest stadium that hosts post - season bowl games . Stadium and Press Box renovations . The Press Box was updated before the 1962 Rose Bowl with an elevator and two rows . The cost was $ 356 , 000 . The Press Box was refurbished for UCLA ' s move in 1982 and the 1984 Summer Olympics . In 2011 and 2012 , the press box was undergoing renovation as part of the larger renovation originally budgeted at $ 152 million in 2010 . Costs had increased to $ 170 million during construction . Work proceeded during the 2011 football season , and was expected to be completed before the UCLA Bruins ' first home game in 2012 . Some unforeseen problems had been encountered due to the stadium ' s age and some renovations done in the early 1990s . Sports Illustrated Venue Rankings . In 1999 , " Sports Illustrated " listed the Rose Bowl at number 20 in the Top 20 Venues of the Twentieth Century . In 2007 , Sports Illustrated named the Rose Bowl the number one venue in college sports . Usage . Rose Bowl Game . The Rose Bowl stadium is best known in the U . S . for its hosting of the Rose Bowl , the first postseason college football game . The game is played after the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year ' s Day , or , if January 1 is a Sunday , on the following Monday January 2 . The stadium ' s name has given rise to the term " bowl game " for all postseason games , regardless of whether they are played in a bowl - shaped or " Bowl " - named stadium . The Rose Bowl Game is commonly referred to as " The Granddaddy of Them All " because of its stature as the oldest of all the bowl games . Since its opening , the Rose Bowl stadium has hosted the bowl game every year except the 1942 Rose Bowl , when the game was moved to Durham , North Carolina , at the campus of Duke University . Duke , which played in the game on January 1 , volunteered to host the contest because of security concerns on the West Coast in the weeks following the attack on Pearl Harbor . Since 1945 , the Rose Bowl has been the highest attended college football bowl game . BCS National Championship . In 1998 , the Rose Bowl Game became part of the Bowl Championship Series . The 2002 Rose Bowl and the 2006 Rose Bowl games also were the BCS Championship games , matching the # 1 and # 2 Bowl Championship Series teams in the nation . The 2010 BCS National Championship Game was played 6 days after the 2010 Rose Bowl Game as a completely separate event from the Tournament of Roses . The Tournament of Roses managed the event . The stadium will host the 2014 BCS National Championship Game when it will celebrate its 100th anniversary . UCLA Bruins Football home stadium . Rose Bowl stadium has been the home football field for UCLA since 1982 . The UCLA Bruins had played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 1928 . There was an attempt to build a 44 , 000 seat stadium on campus , at the site where Drake Stadium eventually was built . However , the proposal was blocked by influential area residents , as well as other politicians . At the start of the 1982 NFL season , with the Oakland Raiders scheduled to move in , UCLA decided to relocate its home games to the Rose Bowl Stadium . The Bruins went on to play two straight Rose Bowl games in their new home stadium , the 1983 Rose Bowl and the 1984 Rose Bowl . UCLA has participated in five Rose Bowl games since moving to the stadium . The stadium is the host of the UCLA – USC rivalry football game on even numbered years , alternating with the Coliseum . In the first rivalry game at the stadium between UCLA and USC in 1982 , USC fans sat on the west side of the stadium and UCLA fans sat on the east side of the stadium , mirroring an arrangement that existed when the teams shared the Coliseum . Both teams also wore their home uniforms . In 1984 , USC fans were moved to the end zone seats , which ended the tradition of shared stadium . Because of the shared arrangement , and the participation of USC in a number of Rose Bowl games , both schools have winning records in each other ' s home stadium . The Bruins travel 26 miles from campus to Pasadena to play home games , but only 14 miles to their biggest road game at USC every other year . Pasadena events . The annual Rose Bowl Stadium July 4 fireworks celebration titled " Americafest " is celebrating its 86th anniversary in 2012 . The annual fireworks show is considered one of the top fireworks shows in the nation . The stadium hosts commencement ceremonies for John Muir High School and Pasadena High School . It also hosts the annual football homecoming game , called the Turkey Tussle , between Pasadena High School and John Muir High School , in mid - November . Every second Sunday of each month , The Rose Bowl Flea Market takes place on the parking lots . Hosted by promoter R . G . Canning , it claims to be the largest Flea market on the West Coast . Brookside golf course also is in the Arroyo Seco . The fairways of the golf course serve as parking on Football game days . Caltech Beaver football home stadium . Caltech , a university located in Pasadena , played most home games in the Rose Bowl from the time of its construction until they gave up football in 1993 . Caltech jovially claimed to play before the greatest number of empty seats in the nation . Junior Rose Bowl . The stadium has hosted the Junior Rose Bowl from 1946 – 71 and 1976 – 77 . Between 1946 – 66 and 1976 – 77 , the game pitted the California Junior College football champions vs . The NJCAA football champions for the National Championship . It was organized by the Pasadena Junior Chamber of Commerce . The Junior Rose Bowl became the Pasadena Bowl football game from 1967 – 71 ; it was billed as the Junior Rose Bowl the first two years , but instead two teams from the NCAA College Division competed ( then later the University Division , usually featuring teams that were not invited to other major bowls ) . Super Bowls . The stadium has hosted the Super Bowl five times . The first being in 1977 , Super Bowl XI when the Oakland Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings 32 – 14 . The game was also played there in 1980 ( Super Bowl XIV ) , 1983 ( Super Bowl XVII ) , 1987 ( Super Bowl XXI ) and 1993 ( Super Bowl XXVII ) . The Rose Bowl is one of two venues ( Stanford Stadium being the other ) to host a Super Bowl though having never served as the full - time home stadium for an NFL or AFL team ( Stanford Stadium hosted one San Francisco 49ers game after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake ) . Because the NFL has a policy limiting the hosting of a Super Bowl to NFL cities ( & metropolitan areas ) , the Super Bowl has not been played at the Rose Bowl since January 1993 . Since the Rams and Raiders departed the L . A . area in the mid - 1990s , the NFL ' s title game visits to southern California have been limited to San Diego only , home of the Chargers . 1932 Summer Olympics . The Rose Bowl was the track cycling venue for the 1932 Summer Olympics . 1984 Summer Olympics . The Rose Bowl Stadium was the venue for the football ( soccer ) events for the 1984 Summer Olympics . Los Angeles Galaxy . The Rose Bowl stadium was the home ground for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer from the team ' s inception in 1996 until it moved into the soccer - specific Home Depot Center in 2003 ; the venue additionally hosted the 1998 MLS Cup . FIFA World Cups . The Rose Bowl is one of two stadiums to have hosted the FIFA World Cup finals for both men and women . The Rose Bowl hosted the men ' s final in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the women ' s final in the 1999 FIFA Women ' s World Cup . ( The only other stadium with this honor is the Råsunda Stadium near Stockholm , Sweden , which hosted the men ' s final in 1958 and the women ' s final in 1995 . ) Both Rose Bowl finals were scoreless after extra time and decided on penalty shootouts ; Brazil defeating Italy in the 1994 men ' s final , and the United States defeating China in the 1999 women ' s tournament . The 1999 women ' s final was the most - attended women ' s sports event in history , with an official attendance of 90 , 185 . Other events and usage . The Rose Bowl stadium is the only site west of the Mississippi River to host an Army - Navy game ( 1983 ) . The city of Pasadena paid for the traveling expenses of the all students and supporters of both the U . S . Naval Academy and U . S . Military Academy . The attendance was 81 , 000 . The game was brought to the Rose Bowl as there are a large number of military installations and servicemen and women , along with many retired military personnel , on the West coast . The stadium hosted the 2007 Drum Corps International World Championships August 7 through August 11 , 2007 . The Rose Bowl is the final stadium to host the championship before DCI moved their corporate offices to Indianapolis , Indiana with the championships being held at Lucas Oil Stadium until at least 2018 . This was the first time the DCI championships have ever been held west of Denver , Colorado in the 35 year history of DCI . It hosted auditions for the top American television show , American Idol , on August 8 , 2006 . The stadium has also been used as part of the music video shoot for the song " The Last Song " , the second single released by the American rock band The All - American Rejects , which features the band performing the song in the middle of the stadium to an empty crowd . On June 18 , 1988 , Depeche Mode played the last concert of their Music for the Masses Tour , at the sold - out Rose Bowl in front of 60 , 452 people . This concert was recorded and filmed for their first live album and documentary movie , 101 , which was released in 1989 and was directed by D . A . Pennebaker . Metallica and Guns N ' Roses brought the Guns N ' Roses / Metallica Stadium Tour to the stadium on October 3 , 1992 , with Motörhead and Body Count as their opening acts . Pink Floyd played at the Bowl , on two consecutive nights , during The Division Bell Tour on April 16 – 17 , 1994 & is available on ROIO . The stadium hosted the Lilith Fair in 1998 & 1999 . On October 25 , 2009 , U2 played to the first ever full capacity sell out crowd ( 97 , 014 ) in the history of the Stadium . Their 360° Tour visited the stadium in support of the # 1 album No Line on The Horizon . This concert streamed live on YouTube worldwide and was released the DVD and Blue - ray disc " U2 360° at the Rose Bowl " . The stadium also plays host to the annual 4 July Fireworks show since 1926 . Since 2008 , " Americafest " has featured " Drum Corps International ( DCI ) , Marching Music ' s Major League , which presents ' five of the country ' s best Drum and Bugle Corps " , and a " world - class fireworks show that will thrill and delight families from throughout Southern California " . The stadium ' s Court of Champions was the site of a " Roadblock " from Season 17 of the hit CBS reality TV show " The Amazing Race " where teams had to help decorate three sections of the theme float for the 2011 New Year ' s Day Rose Parade . Present status . The Rose Bowl and adjacent golf course are managed by the Rose Bowl Operating Company , a non - profit organization whose board is selected by council members of the City of Pasadena . UCLA also has one member on the company board . The Rose Bowl stadium itself runs on a yearly operational loss . While it generates funds with the annual lease with UCLA ( $ 1 . 5m ) , the Tournament of Roses ( $ 900k ) , and a regularly hosted flea market ( $ 900k ) , it makes up the loss by relying on funds generated by the adjacent city - owned golf course ( $ 2m ) . While the stadium is able to keep operating in this financial set - up , it is unable to finance many of the capital improvements it needs to be considered a modern facility , including new seats , wider aisles , additional exits , a wider concourse , a renovated press box , a state - of - the - art video scoreboard , new field lighting , additional suites and a club . The estimated cost for such improvements ranges from $ 250 million and $ 300 million . The stadium currently has long - term leases with its two major tenants , the Pasadena Tournament of Roses ( 2019 ) and UCLA ( 2023 ) . In 2006 , the Rose Bowl and the City of Pasadena launched a $ 16 . 3 million capital improvement program that will benefit both UCLA and the Tournament of Roses . New locker rooms for both UCLA and visiting teams , as well as a new media interview area were constructed . In April 2009 , The Rose Bowl Operating Company unveiled a Rose Bowl Strategic Plan , which addressed the objectives to improve public safety ; enhance fan experience ; maintain national historic landmark status ; develop revenue sources to fund long - term improvements ; and enhance facility operations . On October 11 , 2010 , the Pasadena City Council approved a $ 152 million financing plan for the major renovation of the stadium . Groundbreaking ceremonies for the first of three phases of the project was held on January 25 , 2011 . The newly constructed video board was used for the June 25 , 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final . NFL . Since losing both its local teams in the L . A . market in 1995 , the National Football League had been looking to either start or relocate a franchise to the L . A . area . One of the strong candidates was a renovated Rose Bowl . However , after many years of varying offers , no deal could be struck between the NFL owners , the stadium ' s owner , and the City of Pasadena , following a vote of disapproval by its residents in November 2006 . On November 19 , 2012 Pasadena officials approved a proposal which could allow an NFL team to temporarily play in the Rose Bowl . Soccer . The Rose Bowl is the largest stadium in the United States that hosts soccer matches from time to time . The Rose Bowl has drawn soccer crowds exceeding 92 , 000 fans eleven times since 1984 . The United States national soccer team plays games in the Rose Bowl occasionally . The Mexican national football team , which has a large following in Los Angeles , has hosted several friendly matches at the Rose Bowl . On March 3 , 2010 , Mexico hosted New Zealand in a tune - up match for the 2010 FIFA World Cup before a crowd of 90 , 500 . On June 25 , 2011 the Rose Bowl hosted the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Championship match before 93 , 420 fans . It is the only stadium in the world to have hosted an Olympic gold medal match and both the Men ' s and Women ' s FIFA World Cup Final . Additionally , the Los Angeles Galaxy occasionally still plays games there , such as their August 1 2009 match against FC Barcelona in front of 93 , 137 fans .