Rose Bowl Looks at Adding Major Concert, International Soccer Match to 2017 Schedule

The Board of Directors of the Rose Bowl Operating Company will meet in a special meeting Thursday night and discuss upcoming events at “America’s Stadium” next year.

Among the events planned for 2017 is the first edition of the Arroyo Seco Music and Arts Festival in June, which was proposed after circumstances became apparent the likelihood of NFL football game revenue in the Rose Bowl’s future was low.

In May, the RBOC passed a recommendation to the Pasadena City Council to consider deleting a section in the Pasadena Municipal Code that allows for up to 13 NFL events over a consecutive 12-month period. The City Council is expected to act on the recommendation after next year’s Music and Arts Festival.

The RBOC Board considers the upcoming Music and Arts Festival as a major event which could take two to three days, according to discussions about the schedule.

Rose Bowl General Manager Darryll Dunn says apart from the Festival, another big concert is likely coming to the Rose Bowl in early August, also to be organized and produced by AEG, the same company that produces the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and that will produce the Arroyo Seco event.

Dunn said detailed discussions with the organizer on this concert have already started to ensure the event proceeds smoothly.

“Right around this time of the year is when you book events for the following summer,” Dunn said “Fortunately, we have an opportunity to host the show.”

Dunn, however, could not say what band will be playing at the August concert.

“It’s a big deal when you announce what the band is and what they’re going to be playing, and the typically thing to do is to announce when you go on sale,” he said.

The Rose Bowl will also continue to host soccer games, particularly big international soccer matches. One of the matches could happen in July, he said.

“The event, as soon as the RBOC approves, will occur next July,” Dunn said. “We also hope to have one to two major international soccer matches at the Rose Bowl per year.”

Dunn agrees soccer is gaining popularity among U.S audiences, particularly in the Los Angeles area, which has a large Hispanic population.

“We’ve had tremendous success with the attendance here and we’re happy to build on that,” he said.

The Arroyo Seco ordinance allows the RBOC to approve up to 15 “displacement events” at the Rose Bowl. There are currently 10 displacement events that have been approved earlier, and some other similar events could be announced at Thursday’s meeting.

This limitation on displacement events was a result of discussion with neighborhood associations around the Rose Bowl, which on many occasions have raised concerns about the effects of big events like the UCLA football games on the traffic volume and noise pollution levels near their homes.

As of this week, Dunn said the number of displacement events scheduled in the Rose Bowl for 2017 is currently at 10.