After news broke this week about the Rose Bowl filing a lawsuit to enforce the UCLA Bruins’ football program to fulfill their lease at the stadium, Trojans Wire writer Ethan Inman gave the Trojans’ perspective about the Bruins’ potential move to Sofi Stadium.
The Rose Bowl files surprise lawsuit concerning UCLA football
UCLA’s idea to host their home games at Sofi seemingly came out of nowhere, with the Rose Bowl undergoing renovations to help modernize the iconic stadium. UCLA’s lease with the Rose Bowl runs through 2044 so the university’s decision to begin looking at Sofi is a perplexing one.
Could UCLA’s rival make use of the Rose Bowl?
Inman suggested that if UCLA does move away from the Rose Bowl, then perhaps USC should host a home game per season to keep the tradition of college football going at the venue rather than only having the Rose Bowl Game at the stadium.
Students still would be far away from the action at Sofi Stadium
UCLA can say that the decision to look at Sofi is to get closer to campus, but Sofi Stadium is still miles away from campus and Inman brings up the fact that many UCLA students don’t have vehicles with them, so anything off campus will be a challenge to get to.
“UCLA is one of the top public universities in the world, so naturally, they have students from across America and plenty of international students as well.
Many of them come to UCLA without access to a car. They also come to UCLA without knowledge of the traditions and meaning behind UCLA’s football program, because they grew up in a place far from UCLA. Football isn’t big everywhere.
So they will not care about Bruin football or even be physically able to travel there, unless it’s right in their face and ON CAMPUS.
Adult alumni, who are scattered around the region and have to drive no matter where UCLA plays, are not affected by the Rose Bowl’s distance from campus. The students are, and their main issue will not be solved by moving to SoFi.” Inman said.
UCLA’s attendance has been bad but you can’t blame the venue
The Bruins’ home attendance has been bad in recent years but they’ve also had good attendance while at the Rose Bowl, with the lower totals in recent years likely having more to do with the play on the field, rather than the location of the field.
Inman also argues that Sofi doesn’t have an identity. While it certainly doesn’t have the tradition of the Rose Bowl, the newly-built stadium is definitely impressive but it doesn’t feel like a college football stadium which is something UCLA would lose by leaving the Rose Bowl.
UCLA admin says the university will “continue to evaluate”
UCLA Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications Mary Osako said on Thursday “While we continue to evaluate the long-term arrangement for UCLA Football home games, no decision has been made.”
That’s certainly not a guarantee that the Bruins are looking to stay at the Rose Bowl but only time will tell how long UCLA remains at the Rose Bowl.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: What would move to Sofi Stadium fix for UCLA Bruins’ football program?
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
