In this final installment of my 3-part tome about all things Pasadena and the Tournament of Roses events, my traveling companion Tim and I were the beneficiaries of a personal tour with Brian Brantley, the Vice President for Advancement of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation (and guest on Conversations with Sports Fans, S:3, E:71). Here are some of the highlights of the tour, which I highly recommend (not necessarily the private version we were afforded, but the general one) to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the place called “America’s Stadium.”
We Found Brandi!
goal. The moment was captured in bronze by artist, Brian Hanlon.
Tim and I had our eyes peeled and heads on a swivel the previous two days we were on the Rose Bowl Stadium’s footprint. We were looking for the statue depicting United States women’s soccer legend, Brandi Chastain‘s, celebration after striking the 1999 Women’s World Cup-clinching goal at the Rose Bowl.
We’d not fully explored the Gate A entrance and plaza, apparently, because there Brandi was in all her glory as our Lyft driver dropped us off.
Before Brian arrived Tim and I took advantage of the opportunity to check out the iconic moment which was turned into statue by sculpture artist, Brian Hanlon.
The Chastain statue is one of five on the grounds. The others are Jackie Robinson, Keith Jackson, Archie Griffin, and Terry Donahue. Our chance to get a glimpse of Chastain completed our personal circuit of the five.
From left, statues of Robinson, Donahue, Griffin, and Jackson join Chastain on the Rose Bowl Stadium grounds.
First Stop – California HS Football Hall of Fame
Brian told us the space that now houses the California High School Football Hall of Fame was formerly storage space. With support from a variety of benefactors – including the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Event No. 5) – the Rose Bowl Stadium has converted this under-utilized space into a gleaming shrine to the greatness that is high football in the Golden State. Forty-one 1-time California high schoolers have busts in Canton, OH!
Surprisingly, there have been only two induction classes. In 2023 (the inaugural class of 113) and again this past November (25 inductees). It will then move to inducting a new class every-other-year in 2026.
The room is gorgeous, the artifacts are fabulous, and it’s well worth a visit.
From left, the bios of the current year’s inductees; memorabilia from inductee Marcus Allen; memorilia from inductee Tom Brady; more artifacts from inductes; and the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s California members. Note the high school helmets above as well as the lights which are repurposed from the Stadium.
Second Stop – The Rose Bowl Museum
One of the two original locker rooms from when the Stadium first opened, 1922, it’s now home to the Rose Bowl Museum.
Much like the aforementioned California HS Hall of Fame, the Museum is impeccably done. It includes artifacts from the entirety of the Rose Bowl’s history, a wall that displays mini-helmets of teams that have played in the game, a video discussing the site’s history (originally a landfill) narrated by Kirk Herbstreit, and tributes to other notable folks from the game’s history that are displayed around the perimeter that features a timeline of the Stadium’s history (both for football and other notable events … think FIFA World Cup, Olympics, and music concerts).
Clockwise from upper left, 2-time Heisman Trophy Winner Archie Griffin figures prominently in the Rose Bowl Museum; broadcaster Keith Jackson’s quote hangs high atop the Museum; a wide shot look at the Museum; mini-helmets (many with players signatures) from team’s who’ve played in the Rose Bowl Game; musician Kenny Chesney is a big fan of the Rose Bowl and even is a major financial supporter of the Keith Jackson Broadcast Center.
Third Stop – The Field
One of just four football stadiums to have this designation. The Yale Bowl, Harvard Stadium, and the L.A. Coliseum are the others.
I’m not gonna lie, walking down one of the original tunnels that Coach Knute Rockne took his famed Four Horseman down was pretty surreal. As was stepping onto the home side sideline near the Oregon endzone where Scarlet and Gray confetti lie on the field (along with discarded rose petals!). If you wondered if I scooped up some of each to commemorate the occasion, you’d be correct.
Fourth Stop – The Keith Jackson Broadcast Center
As noted previously, musician Kenny Chesney was intrumental (get it!) in getting the radio and television booth level named in honor of longtime college football broadcaster Keith Jackson.
The view from the television booth, even at 10:30 a.m. on the day after the game, was pretty epic, I’m not going to lie.
Fifth Stop – The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation Offices
This office, which Brian calls home, is in the other 1922 Locker Room. This is where Coach Pop Warner and his Stanford Cardinal did their work. Today it’s used to by the staff charged with maintaining and improving (within the bounds of the National Park Services regulations) the Rose Bowl Stadium. The day of our visit you could tell this is the busiest time of the year. Therefore, only one image was captured while inside. The image captures the countdown clock for the 2028 LA Summer Olympics (the Rose Bowl Stadium will be used for soccer).
out when a circuit was tripped during the game.
- Part 1 – Tournament of Roses Reconnaissance Day(s)
- Part 2 – A Full Day’s Worth of Roses