USC should play at Rose Bowl, not SoFi Stadium, in 2028 season

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On Thursday, it was reported by Ryan Kartje of The Los Angeles Times that USC will likely not be able to play its home football games at the Coliseum in 2028 due to the Summer Olympics. Because of this, the Trojansplan on playing at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for that season.

Notably, Kartje reported that SoFi is the only venue that the Trojans have been in touch with for that season. The Trojans have apparently not considered the possibility of playing their home games at the Rose Bowl, despite the fact that crosstown rival UCLA could soon be leaving Pasadena for Inglewood, leaving the most historic venue in college football without a permanent tenant.

The reason for this is fairly obvious. As Arash Markazi of The Sporting Tribune pointed out, SoFi Stadium has significantly more luxury seats and suites than the Rose Bowl. USC can make a lot of money by selling those premium spaces, which is the main reason that they are going with that option.

I totally get that money drives the bus in the modern era of college athletics. That being said, however, by choosing SoFi over the Rose Bowl, USC is making the shameful decision of choosing the money of ultra-rich donors over creating the best possible atmosphere for the average fan.

Do not get me wrong, SoFi Stadium is incredible. But at the end of the day, it is still an NFL dome. So much of what makes college football special is that it is played in historic venues that often hold 90,000 or more fans rather than generic NFL stadiums. With all due respect to SoFi, it does not have the ability to provide the same level of unique college football atmosphere that the Rose Bowl and the Coliseum do.

USC also has a ton of history at the Rose Bowl. The Trojans have played in the Rose Bowl game more times than any other college football program, and USC fans take over the venue every other year when the team plays an “away” game against crosstown rival UCLA. There is a reason that the venue is often referred to as USC’s second home.

For the Trojans to have the opportunity to play their home games at the Rose Bowl for a season would be an incredible opportunity, and truly would be making the most of a tough situation. Instead, however, USC is deciding to sell out and take the huge check from Stan Kroenke’s multi-billion dollar stadium.

I really like the vast majority of what the USC athletic department has done under current AD Jennifer Cohen. But by choosing SoFi Stadium over the Rose Bowl for 2028, the Trojans are sending a clear message: We value the checks that we get from our big-money donors over providing the best possible atmosphere for the average fan. To me, that is a shameful statement to make.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football playing at SoFi Stadium, not Rose Bowl, is misguided

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