LOS ANGELES — The Tournament of Roses' attempt to protect its ownership of the "Rose Bowl Game" and "Rose Bowl" trademarks from the city of Pasadena became costly Friday when a U.S. district judge ordered it to pay more than $400,000 of the city's attorney fees after its lawsuit had been dismissed with prejudice.
The conflict stemmed from the Tournament of Roses' decision in December 2020 to move the annual New Year's Day bowl game, known as the "Granddaddy of Them All," to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, because California's stringent COVID-19 protocols would not have allowed fans to attend the College Football Playoff semifinal game.
The master license agreement between the Tournament of Roses and Pasadena requires the game to be held in the Rose Bowl stadium except in the event of a force majeure that allows for the game to be moved.
