“They’re competing with a new stadium here in Los Angeles,” said Bill Thomson, a former mayor and member of the Rose Bowl Operating Company board, whose law firm drafted the city’s trademark protections. “Even people who don’t like football love the Rose Bowl as a place,” Hunt said. The Rose Bowl Game is one of the few sporting events — the Kentucky Derby and the Indianapolis 500 are among others — whose identity is tied to a place, Hunt said. The value of the mark, which helps the Rose Bowl Game draw more viewers than any other non-playoff game, is not just considerable to Pasadena. “Our relationship with the College Football Playoff and ESPN is important.”

Source: New York Times January 01, 2021 04:52 UTC