As college football becomes a bigger and bigger business, it’s inevitable that there will be bigger and bigger legal battles.
In L.A., the litigation initiated by the Rose Bowl to compel UCLA to honor a contract that runs through the 2044 season has resulted in a motion for a temporary restraining order aimed at blocking the school from moving to SoFi Stadium.
Via Ira Gorawara of TheAthletic.com, the paperwork was filed on Monday. A hearing is set for Wednesday.
The City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Company argue that UCLA has “confirmed its imminent departure” from its long-time home. On Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported that UCLA could relocate to the home of the Rams and Chargers as soon as 2026.
The civil justice system creates two general types of relief. One, money can be sought for financial harm caused by a violation of legal rights. Two, a court order can be pursued to prevent someone from doing something (or to force someone to do something).
The process of requesting “equitable relief” includes a procedure for pressing the brakes while the case is pending. That’s what the Rose Bowl wants — to keep UCLA from leaving until the merits of the lawsuit can be resolved.
The standard is high. Various factors are considered. Is the harm that the plaintiffs will suffer “irreparable” by an eventual award of monetary damages? How strong is the case? (There are other factors, but those are the two biggest ones.)
Hovering over the dispute is the possibility that the owner of SoFi Stadium (Rams owner Stan Kroenke) will face potential liability for tortious interference with the contractual relationship between the Rose Bowl and UCLA. If there’s evidence that SoFi Stadium attempted to lure UCLA from the Rose Bowl despite knowing about the existing contract, the Rose Bowl could attempt to invade Kroenke’s ocean-deep pockets.
If that happens, it would be the second time Kroenke has faced litigation over the relocation of a team. The NFL eventually paid $790 million to St. Louis for the return of the Rams to Los Angeles. Kroenke could potentially write a big check regarding the apparent effort to relocate UCLA within the L.A. area.
