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New court documents reveal UCLA was close to leaving the Rose Bowl for SoFi Stadium before deciding against the move. Text messages between UCLA officials and Kroenke Sports indicate the urgency of the situation.
New court documents filed in the Rose Bowlâs lawsuit against UCLA revealed how imminent the schoolâs expected departure was for SoFi Stadium before reversing course.
Last August, when UCLA opened its football season against Utah at the Rose Bowl, a vice chancellor from the school and high-ranking Kroenke Sports and Entertainment official exchanged text messages about the Bruinsâ proposed move to SoFi Stadium, according to the documents.
New court documents filed in the Rose Bowlâs lawsuit against UCLA reveal how imminent the schoolâs expected departure was for SoFi Stadium before reversing course. Getty Images
As part of one exchange, Kevin Demoff â president of the Rams and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment â texted Stephen Agostini â then a UCLA vice chancellor and the schoolâs chief financial officer â writing, âgood luck tonight, next year at SoFi!â
Agostini, who was one of the driving forces of UCLAâs proposed move to SoFi Stadium, was fired in February after school officials alleged that he made inaccurate statements about campus debt.
Later that month, UCLA committed to staying at the Rose Bowl through the 2026 season.
The text exchange between Agostini and Demoff was included in the Rose Bowl attorneysâ response to a recent motion filed by UCLA that could further delay the court case. Describing the maneuver as unnecessary stalling, attorneys representing the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena are asking to be reimbursed for attorneys fees.
Attorneys representing both sides are scheduled to meet in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday morning.
In recent weeks, The California Post has learned, representatives from both sides have engaged in discussions intended to reach a resolution that would satisfy all parties and presumably end the contentious legal battle that started in October after the Rose Bowl sued UCLA over a possible departure for SoFi Stadium.
UCLAâs proposed move to SoFi Stadium could have provided new revenue from favorable lease terms as well as additional income from a mixed-use real estate development project.
There was also the lure of playing football games significantly closer to campus at a far more modern facility than the century-old Rose Bowl, which is 26 miles from Westwood.
UCLAâs campus in Westwood is 26 miles from the Rose Bowl. Getty Images
Under its current agreement with the Rose Bowl, UCLA does not receive suite revenue or stadium sponsorship sales and only a fraction of parking, concessions and merchandise revenue. But a resolution between the parties could result in more favorable lease terms for UCLA for the duration of any agreement; the Bruinsâ lease at their longtime football home runs through the 2043 season.
UCLA is already set to keep revenue from the sale of premium seats associated with a new field-level club thatâs scheduled to open this season.
The new court documents disclosed what appeared to be a concerted effort for UCLA to find a new football home.
Communications between UCLA and SoFi Stadium executives from February 2025 included in the court filing showed that Agostini texted with Demoff about having the schoolâs athletics operations team tour SoFi Stadium âto see how we would make next season work.â
In response, Demoff texted, âYes will make whatever work.â
Plaintiffs attorneys contend that officials from the Rose Bowl Operating Co. heard from UCLA personnel that the school had held meetings with SoFi Stadium executives involving seating charts, revenue sharing arrangements and development projects associated with the proposed move.
By October 2025, the plaintiffs attorneys contend, Jeffrey Moorad â the former Diamondbacks and Padres chief executive officer who said he was working as a consultant on behalf of UCLA â informed them that UCLA would no longer play its home games at the Rose Bowl, saying there was âno way [UCLA is] staying long termâ and that UCLA âwill leave.â
The Rose Bowl filed its lawsuit alleging breach of contract later that month, eventually adding SoFi Stadium executives as co-defendants for allegedly enticing UCLA to switch stadiums.
Rose Bowl attorneys have said the teamâs departure would cause âirreparable harmâ for which money alone could not sufficiently compensate the stadium and surrounding community.
The court documents show that UCLA was very close to moving to SoFi Stadium before ultimately deciding to remain at the Rose Bowl.
The discussions involved a vice chancellor from UCLA and a high-ranking official from Kroenke Sports and Entertainment.
UCLA first considered leaving the Rose Bowl last August during the opening of their football season against Utah.
UCLA's decision to stay at the Rose Bowl may impact future negotiations regarding the stadium's use and financial arrangements.
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