A Rose Bowl by any other name would keep college football’s most iconic venue viable for decades to come.
The Pasadena City Council has unanimously approved a proposal to put the name of a prominent UCLA alumnus on the hedges that surround the Rose Bowl field after Richard “Tod” Spieker agreed to donate $10 million of the $40 million being sought in improvements for the city-owned stadium’s 100th birthday in 2022.
Spieker is a Silicon Valley real estate magnate and former All-American swimmer at UCLA. His name will be displayed as “Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl” starting this season as part of a 25-year donor recognition agreement but will not be part of the stadium’s formal title or mentioned during game broadcasts.