With local and regional health regulations preventing fans from attending, the Rose Bowl football playoff semifinal has been moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The move, announced Saturday night by the Pasadena Roses Tournament, is the result of a “growing number of COVID-19 cases in Southern California, along with an inability to accommodate players and coaches at any game in California.”
The semi-final will continue on January 1, two days after the Cotton Bowl, but it is unclear whether it will continue to be called the “Rose Bowl.” Unlike other post-season college football games, Rose Bowl is part of the Master License Agreement and is co-owned by the Pasadena Rose and Pasadena City Tournament.
If he keeps the Rose Bowl moniker, it will be the first time he has not played in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl Stadium in January 1942, following the Pearl Harbor attack.
“We know the decision was not an easy one to make,” said David Eads, executive director and executive director of the Roses Tournament. “Although we remain confident that a game could have been played at Rose Bowl Stadium, as is evident in the other collegiate and professional games taking place in the region, the projection of COVID-19 cases in the region has continued on an upward trend. ”
“We are very grateful to Rose Bowl and Pasadena officials. They worked hard to listen to the concerns of the CFP, the teams that could have played there, and their state and government officials,” said PCP Executive Director Bill Hancock. . “The Rose Tournament has worked for the benefit of those living in Southern California. And we are grateful to Cotton Bowl and AT&T Stadium officials for their ability to make this late change possible.”
Although game officials lobbied for family and friends to attend the Rose Bowl, their efforts have been unsuccessful as local and regional California health officials try to limit the spread of COVID-19. Specifically, two appeals to state health officials for family and friends to participate were rejected, according to Los Angeles Times.
The moment of movement of the game has increased in recent days. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly expressed dismay at the prospect of playing without his parents being able to participate, going so far as to indicate that his team could boycott the game. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney expressed a similar sentiment.
“I’m not sure if we’ll play in the playoffs if the parents can’t be there,” Kelly said Friday as his team prepared to take on Clemson in the ACC championship game. “Why can’t it be the Rose Bowl in Las Vegas? Why can’t it be the Rose Bowl in another city? Where’s the flexibility? The only thing these kids have been on is incredibly flexible.”
The other semifinal of the PCP is the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, which will be set for January 1.