Pasadena Sues UCLA, UC Regents Over SoFi Move

The city of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Company filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing UCLA and the UC Regents of attempting to abandon their long-term Rose Bowl lease, which runs through 2044, to relocate home football games to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The complaint alleges UCLA has “unequivocally” signaled intent to move, calls the potential shift a “profound betrayal of trust,” notes taxpayers and Pasadena invested more than $150 million (with additional bonds) in Rose Bowl renovations, and warns damages could exceed $1 billion. UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications Mary Osako said no final decision has been made as the university evaluates long-term options, and university counsel has argued that preliminary discussions would not constitute a material breach of the lease. The dispute centers on competing pressures — declining Bruin attendance and SoFi’s closer proximity and modern amenities versus contractual obligations and the Rose Bowl’s historical and community importance — and could reshape where UCLA plays its home games if litigated to resolution.