The Rose Bowl Stadium celebrates 103 Years Of Iconic & Historic Venues

Courtesy of Rose Bowl

At the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, along the base of the Arroyo Seco, stands one of the world’s most iconic and historic venues - the Rose Bowl Stadium. Renowned as a premier destination for sports, entertainment, and community programming, the Stadium has long served as an essential touchstone for both visitors and the local community alike.

The Rose Bowl Stadium proudly celebrates 103 years of continuous operation. Its centennial celebration underscored not only the longevity of the facility but also its profound and enduring influence on sports and entertainment in the United States. The commemoration reflected upon a century of collective memories, iconic events, and the Stadium’s central role in shaping the region.

What does it mean for a stadium to reach the century mark? The answer lives in the rich history of Pasadena and in the millions who have passed through the Stadium tunnels. Originally built to host the annual Rose Bowl Game®, the Stadium has since evolved into a beloved community gathering place hosting international sporting events, monthly flea markets, concerts, festivals, and year-round recreation. For residents of the San Gabriel Valley, the Rose Bowl Stadium campus is both a backyard and a local treasure. Known proudly as “America’s Stadium,” the Rose Bowl has welcomed people from all walks of life through its iconic gates.

Designed by architect Myron Hunt, the Rose Bowl Stadium opened in 1922 in a distinct horseshoe configuration, accommodating 57,000 spectators. The initial $270,000 project would serve as the foundation for an ambitious century of architectural and functional evolution. As Pasadena developed, so, too, did the Stadium, eventually adopting the full bowl configuration for which it is widely recognized today. By 1949, the venue’s capacity had expanded to exceed 100,000, and in 1961, the press box was constructed. Subsequent decades introduced numerous capital improvements, all undertaken with an intentional commitment to honoring the facility’s legacy. Throughout the concourses and tunnels, commemorative plaques memorialize legendary Rose Bowl Game® matchups and honor individuals whose contributions have shaped the Stadium’s trajectory.

The stadium’s national prominence grew rapidly. In 1977, Pasadena hosted its first NFL Super Bowl; four additional Super Bowls would follow in 1980, 1983, 1987, and 1993. The Rose Bowl served, for a second time, as a venue for soccer in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games (the Rose Bowl hosted track cycling during the 1932 Olympic Games), became the official home of the UCLA football program in 1982, and was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. By the conclusion of the 1990s, the Stadium had welcomed legendary musical acts including Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones, and had hosted the FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cups. Among its most defining moments was the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, in which the United States National Team claimed victory over China in a dramatic penalty shootout punctuated by Brandi Chastain’s historic kick.

The turn of the century ushered in continued evolution. The Stadium became a movie theater for the premiere of Remember the Titans, hosted numerous international soccer matches, and welcomed globally renowned performers across musical genres, including Jay-Z and Beyoncé, One Direction, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Karol G, and BTS, whose three consecutive sold-out shows set new records for attendance and engagement. Meanwhile, Brookside at the Rose Bowl has emerged as a premier music festival site on the Rose Bowl campus.

Today, the Rose Bowl Stadium stands as a testament to resilience, cultural relevance, and public service. As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, the Stadium will once again assume its place on the world stage as the venue for men’s and women’s soccer during the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad. With unwavering vitality, the Stadium looks forward to its next chapter with purpose and vision.

In partnership with the Rose Bowl Institute and the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the nonprofit entities dedicated to preservation, education, and community engagement, the history of the Stadium continues to be safeguarded and shared widely. Sustaining tradition remains essential to ensuring that the Rose Bowl Stadium endures for future generations and remains, unequivocally, America’s Stadium.