Rose Bowl, UCLA to Remind Fans: Wear Your Mask

An official with the Rose Bowl told Pasadena Now on Wednesday that stadium officials plan to do more to remind fans to wear their masks during games.

Camera shots during last week’s game at the Rose Bowl between the UCLA Bruins and the LSU Tigers revealed many among the more than 68,000 people in attendance were not wearing masks.

Fans on social media pointed out the violation of the city’s health order which mandates that masks be worn at all events with over 10,000 attendees, regardless of vaccination status.

“Bizarre that there are ZERO mentions of this while half the people inside the Rose Bowl wear no masks,” wrote Matt Dingman on Twitter in response to the city’s policy. “No announcements, nothing on the video board. Ridiculous.”

Other users blamed the city for the lack of enforcement.

“We are in Los Angeles, part of LA County/we are masking for all indoor and outdoor for large crowds,” wrote Peggy Mannix. “I was horrified to glance @ UCLA Rose Bowl game last night in Pasadena….no masks! NONE! Packed like sardines. Shame on City of Pasadena who has its own mandate!!!”

During games, UCLA and the Rose Bowl are supposed to enforce the order. According to General Manager Darry Dunn, the stadium and UCLA will be promoting the face-covering requirements for guests attending UCLA football games at the Rose Bowl.

“Both guests holding tickets and the general public at large will see messaging throughout game week to inform them of this policy,” Dunn said. “On game day, guests will be required to have a face covering, and be wearing it, to enter the stadium, and for those who forget to bring one, they will be distributed on entry.”

The 2-0 Bruins do not play this week. They will next face the Fresno State Bulldogs at home on Sept. 18.

The county is currently battling the virulent Delta strain of the coronavirus.

Southland hospitals reported a drop in the number of COVID-positive patients on Tuesday, according to the latest data.

In Pasadena, 20 new cases and two deaths were reported on Tuesday.

Twenty-six patients are being treated at Huntington Hospital, eight of them in an intensive care unit.

According to state figures released Tuesday, there were 1,433 patients with COVID-19 in county hospitals, a drop of 30 from a day earlier. There were 415 people being treated in intensive care, up slightly from 412 on Monday.

Health officials worried that Labor Day gatherings could result in an increase in cases.