The Rose Bowl (Photo – Daniel Peters)
When one first steps into the Rose Bowl, many are blown away by this iconic stadium’s scale, history, and beauty. It has been a college football staple for over 100 years, and the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation hopes to continue this trend by approving improvements to help build a “Lasting Legacy” that will last a century more.
By Daniel Peters
The “Lasting Legacy” campaign is a two-phase endeavor. These updates to the Rose Bowl will improve fan experience and keep the historic stadium current with modern stadium demands.
Phase 1
Phase 1 is set to be finished before the 2028 Olympic Games. The Rose Bowl will host soccer. Three of six planned projects are completed. A safe-standing area on the stadium’s east side was finished before the 2024 season where roughly 2,000 students can lean on railings directly behind the away team’s sideline. An enhanced sound system was installed to improve the fan experience and overall stadium atmosphere. The iconic Rose Bowl sign at the stadium’s south end was updated. The new lighting component makes it stand out, especially during night games.
Three more planned projects are set to be completed before the 2028 Olympics: an upgraded gas and water infrastructure, an enhancement of stadium cellular service and wifi, and the highly anticipated field club at the south end zone.
The field club at the south end zone is the highlight of Phase 1. This will replace the first 28 rows of seating with roughly 800 club seats. These seats will come with access to a full bar with several food options. The hope is to create an in-game tailgate atmosphere. Completion of this is scheduled for Fall 2026.
A Rose Bowl mock-up (Photo – Daniel Peters)
Phase 2
Phase 2 of the “Lasting Legacy” campaign is scheduled for completion by an estimated 2029. It will contain updated seating around the Rose Bowl and a brand new video board that wraps around the north side of the stadium.
The updated seating plan includes resizing and adding 4 to 6 inches of legroom for spectators. It will take the overall capacity of the stadium from 90,000 to 70,000 but will create a better viewing experience for everyone with more legroom and fewer seats in between rows.
The biggest aspect of phase 2 comes in the form of a brand-new video board. It will wrap around the north side of the stadium while not interfering with the view of the San Gabriel mountains. It is by far the largest change in the “Lasting Legacy” campaign which will improve the fan experience by offering a better view of replays, game scores, and various cams.
Rendering of the South End Zone (Photo – rosebowllastinglegacy)
Rendering of the South End Zone (Photo – rosebowllastinglegacy)
Rendering of seating improvements-West (Photo – rosebowllastinglegacy)
South end zone club (Photo – rosebowllastinglegacy)
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