The Tournament of Roses Association was looking for a site that would be large enough to accommodate the patrons who wished to see football games.

In 1897, the city of Pasadena had purchased ten acres of land located in the Arroyo Seco area of Pasadena, CA. This site turned out to be exactly what the Tournament of Roses Association needed. In 1921, it was decided that building should commence, and the structure was built with the south end open, giving the stadium a "horseshoe" shape. The intention in designing the stadium was to have as many patrons sitting as close to the action as possible. The first portion of the stadium was completed for less money than had been budgeted, and the seating capacity at the time was 57,000.

The stadium was given the name "Rose Bowl" by a police reporter named Harlan W. Hall, who had the Yale Bowl in mind when thinking of how an expanded structure would look.

On October 28, 1922 the first football game was played in the Rose Bowl with the University of California Bears battling the University of Southern California Trojans. The Rose Bowl was officially dedicated on January 1, 1923. The south end of the stadium was closed in 1929, giving the structure its famous, sightline-enhancing elliptical shape. With this addition, the capacity was increased to 76,000. The current official seating capacity is 92,542.

The Rose Bowl is known mainly for the New Year's Day football game, but other events have called on the Rose Bowl to host their events. Besides hosting five NFL Super Bowl Games and the Men's World Cup in 1994 and the Women's World Cup in 1999, UCLA football, Major League Soccer (L.A. Galaxy), Fourth of July celebrations, concerts, religious services, and the world's largest flea market (R.G. Canning) are just a few more events that take place at the Rose Bowl.

The Rose Bowl has been and will continue to be the model for stadiums throughout the nation due to the stadium's continued emphasis on patron comfort, event scheduling and community involvement.