Rose Bowl Asks Council to Authorize Nineteenth Displacement Event in 2023, A Soccer Match in February

The Rose Bowl Operating Company is recommending approval of a proposal to host a soccer match in February 2023, which will need a license agreement with AEG as the organizer, and authorization from the City Council for the RBOC to host a displacement event – the nineteen such event for 2023.

The proposal will be discussed at Monday’s City Council meeting. 

The Arroyo Public Lands Ordinance in the Pasadena Municipal Code limits the number of displacement events at the Rose Bowl to no more than 15 in any calendar year, except with the permission of the City Council.

So far, 18 displacement events have been approved for 2023, including six scheduled UCLA football games, the Rose Bowl Game, 10 Music Festival dates, and one soccer match with Soccer United Marketing.

The annual AmericaFest 4th of July celebration will most likely be approved as a displacement event.

To justify approval of the February soccer match, the RBOC said the event “represents a unique opportunity that will enhance the stature of the Rose Bowl” as a world-class venue. 

It is also estimated that the soccer match would directly generate over $300,000 for the RBOC, in addition to sales and bed taxes that will revert to the City and the positive economic impact to businesses in the City arising from the significant fan presence.  

The RBOC also anticipates that the event “will not create undue conflicts with Arroyo Seco activities taking place at the same time.” It said they will be working closely with the Parks and Natural Resources Division of the City of Pasadena, and the Pasadena Police Department, to best control the displacement of other activities in the Arroyo Seco.

“The event does not impose undue adverse impacts on the surrounding residential area,” the RBOC said in the report for the City Council. “Planning and preparation will be implemented to minimize impact of the event to the surrounding neighborhoods.”

In its report, the RBOC also reported the impact of the Real Madrid vs. Juventus soccer match at the Stadium in July which earned over $8.7 million in business sales for Pasadena. The event attracted over 93,000 visitors to the Rose Bowl on July 30, and supported over 4,000 jobs throughout the city.

For the soccer match in February 2023, the Rose Bowl estimates an attendance of between 50,000 and 80,000.