Rose Bowl Hosts Global Sportsmanship Summit Days Before World Cup Arrives

The last time Alan Rothenberg stood at the center of a global sporting moment at the Rose Bowl, it was July 17, 1994, and Brazil was about to beat Italy on penalty kicks to win the World Cup before 94,000 people.

On June 8, Rothenberg will return to the Pasadena stadium — not for a match, but for a conversation about what sport means beyond the scoreboard.

He is among dozens of Olympic champions, media figures, diplomats, and international leaders gathering at the Rose Bowl for the inaugural Sportsmanship Summit, a two-day event that organizers describe as the first global convening dedicated to sportsmanship as a force for leadership, diplomacy, and unity.

The timing is deliberate. The summit falls four days before the FIFA Men’s World Cup begins its Los Angeles-area schedule at SoFi Stadium on June 12, with the United States facing Paraguay. It also coincides with America250, the nation’s semiquincentennial, and comes two years before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“There is no better place than the Rose Bowl Stadium to host a global summit on sportsmanship, where generations from around the globe have witnessed the unifying power of sport,” said Dedan Brozino, president of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the nonprofit parent of the Rose Bowl Institute, which is organizing the event. Brozino said the foundation is eager to “convene leaders who understand that respect, integrity and character are the true foundations of sport,” according to a press statement.

The summit opens the evening of June 8 with “Igniting the Spirit of Sportsmanship & Celebrating Rivals on the World Stage,” a reception and panel program running from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Rob Placek, senior advisor for sports diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, will deliver opening remarks framing sportsmanship and rivalry as tools of cultural exchange — set against the backdrop of America250, the World Cup, and the legacy of Ping Pong Diplomacy. The evening includes a “State of Sportsmanship Today” reflection grounded in new Better Rivals national polling, according to the program.

The first panel, “Beyond the Game: Sport, Leadership & Global Influence,” features a discussion between Allyson Felix, described by organizers as the most decorated U.S. track and field Olympian in history, and Valorie Kondos Field, the former UCLA gymnastics head coach and bestselling author, moderated by Jenny Taft, Fox Sports lead college football sideline reporter.

The evening closes with “The Global Stage Ahead: Leadership, Legacy & The Future of International Sport,” a featured conversation with Rothenberg. Now chairman and CEO of Premier Partnerships, Rothenberg served as president of U.S. Soccer from 1990 to 1998, was the architect of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and went on to found Major League Soccer. He will discuss the evolution of global sport and the road ahead as the World Cup returns to the region, according to the program.

Day two, June 9, runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is organized around three program segments. The morning session, “Sport as a Global Language,” examines sportsmanship as a tool for diplomacy and cultural exchange, with participants including Major Garrett, CBS News chief Washington correspondent; Stephen Cheung, president and CEO of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation; and Lorrie Fair, a former U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder and member of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship team that won its final on the same Rose Bowl field. Consular officials from Australia and Ireland are also listed on the program.

A midday fireside chat, “Beyond the Competition,” features BYU President Shane Reese and Dr. Lara Brown in a conversation about how sport shapes character, leadership, and a culture of respect. The discussion draws on the BYU–Utah rivalry and the “Rival Right” initiative as a model for how respectful competition can influence communities and institutions, according to the program.

The afternoon session, “Rivalry with Respect,” turns to the pressures of modern competition, mental wellbeing, and athlete influence. Speakers include current collegiate athletes from UCLA, USC, and the University of Georgia alongside former professionals such as Darren Woodson, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, and Tyson Ross, a former MLB All-Star pitcher.

The Rose Bowl Institute, which launched in 2020, champions sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship through educational programs, according to the Foundation. Its programs have reached over 40,000 young people across 33 states and eight countries, the organization says. James Washington, a UCLA alumnus and two-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys who now serves as Institute president, has said the organization aims to address “the fundamental values of sport relevant to our generation today.”

The summit’s partner organizations include the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, the Players Coalition, Sport for Impact, Champions for Good, and the LA Sports Council, among others.

The Sportsmanship Summit takes place at Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive. Tickets range from $50 for students and groups of 10 or more to $100 for general admission. The opening night reception is $75. Registration is available at sportsmanshipsummit.splashthat.com. Program elements, including speakers and times, are subject to change, organizers say.