The Rose Bowl’s temporary move to Texas due to COVID-19 has resulted in a lawsuit

“Although the dispute originated in the move of this year’s game to Arlington, Texas, as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a move agreed to by the city, it has persisted through the city’s continued insistence that it is the co-owner of the marks and that its consent is necessary to invoke the MLA’s ‘force majeure’ clause,” read a Tournament of Roses statement released Thursday night. “While the Association has no plans or desire to move the game in the future … it does need a court’s clarification of its contractual and ownership rights.”

Although the game was not played at the Rose Bowl stadium this year, it still carried the Rose Bowl monicker.

According to the LA Times, the agreement between the Tournament of Roses and the city of Pasadena requires the game to be played at the Rose Bowl stadium, except in the event of a “force majeure.”

The game was moved from California, in-part, because local restrictions would have prevented family of players from attending the game.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was amongst the loudest voices insisting the playoff be moved from the Rose Bowl.

Tournament of Roses director David Eeads spoke with the LA Times over the weekend and indicated that the only reason for the lawsuit is to determine ownership of the trademarks.