LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge on Wednesday denied a request by the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena for a temporary restraining order in their bid to keep UCLA football games at the Rose Bowl.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Chalfant said the parties had not demonstrated an emergency that would necessitate such an action. Instead, he suggested the plaintiffs' attorneys seek discovery information about the Big Ten school's discussions with SoFi Stadium and pursue a preliminary injunction.
Attorney Nima Mohebbi, who represents the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena, said he had filed a public records request looking for information about those discussions.
“Even though he found that there was no immediate emergency,” Mohebbi said, “he made very clear in a lot of his statements that there’s irreparable harm, that UCLA has an obligation to play at the Rose Bowl through 2044 and we’re very confident in our facts of this case. So I think all in, we feel very, very good.”
UCLA spokeswoman Mary Osako said in a statement: "As we have said, while we continue to evaluate the long-term arrangement for UCLA football home games, no decision has been made.”
UCLA has played its home games at the historic Rose Bowl since 1982. Its lease with the stadium runs through the 2043 season.
School attorneys denied in court that they had made any decisions about potential relocation.
“I don’t know why UCLA can’t just show up and play football at the Rose Bowl,” Chalfant said. "You don’t need to talk to them at all.”
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