The Los Angeles Times is reporting that USC is negotiating with the Rose Bowl about possibly moving their home games to Pasadena. The move comes in the wake of USC's frustrating negotiations with the Coliseum over a long-term lease and renovations.
In listening to sports talk radio this evening, it was clear this move would not be popular with anyone. The Coliseum may be falling apart, but it's virtually on the USC campus. Personally, I love going to football tailgates on campus and then walking over to the Coliseum. It makes sense for the Trojans to play close to campus.
That being said, the Coliseum is not a great football stadium anymore, and it needs significant renovations. I have to admit that the Rose Bowl is a much better venue right now to sit and watch a game. I'm not quite sure what the hang-up is between USC and the Coliseum Commission, but it's pretty obvious that the NFL isn't coming anytime soon so they might as well go with the USC proposed upgrades. This may very well be a negotiating ploy, but I can't blame USC from doing what it can to prevent their home stadium from falling into disrepair. USC is a premier college football program that deserves to play in at least an adequate facility.
Still, the Rose Bowl has its own problems. While it's aged well, the seats are still way too close together, traffic is beyond awful in the Arroyo Seco on gamedays, and it would be awkward to ask Trojan fans to drive across town and play in UCLA's stadium. I can't imagine that the Pasadena homeowners are too thrilled about this idea either. Let's hope that USC and the Coliseum can work something out.
