LOS ANGELES – The city of Pasadena and the operators of the Rose Bowl intensified their legal battle with UCLA Monday, filing court papers seeking a restraining order preventing the university from moving its home football games out of the fabled venue.
The city and the Rose Bowl Operating Company sued the university in late October seeking to enforce the terms of a lease agreement they claim locks UCLA into playing football at the venue until 2044.
While the suit is pending, the plaintiffs filed papers with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Lipner on Monday asking that a restraining order be issued prohibiting UCLA from playing any home football games at any other venue in Los Angeles or Orange counties, and barring the university from trying to terminate its Rose Bowl lease while the lawsuit is pending.
A hearing on the request could be held as early as Wednesday morning, according to court papers.
The lawsuit contends that UCLA is exploring the possibility of moving its home football games to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, issued a statement last month saying the university has not made any decisions about the future home of Bruin football games.
“While we continue to evaluate the long-term arrangement for UCLA football home games, no decision has been made,” Osako said.
According to the city of Pasadena, a UCLA representative “has notified the city and Rose Bowl of UCLA’s intent to take steps that will breach the agreement, an agreement that was signed back in 2010 and amended in 2014.”
“The city expects UCLA will honor the terms of the agreement, and the City Council will do everything in its power to protect and defend the city’s contractual rights on behalf of the public interest, the city’s residents, and all in our region,” according to the city statement.
The statement from the city said UCLA has been a partner for more than 40 years and the city and venue have exceeded its contractual obligations, including “significant time, effort, and financial resources” as well as “ongoing major renovation work,” all in partnership with the university.
According to the lawsuit, UCLA has expressed its intent “to abandon the Rose Bowl Stadium and relocate its home football games to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.”
“This is not only a clear break of the contract that governs the parties’ relationship, but it is also a profound betrayal of trust, of tradition, and of the very community that helped build UCLA football,” the lawsuit states.
