When did the Rose Bowl Game begin?
• The Tournament of Roses Association was started in 1890 by the Valley Hunt Club and became a separate organization just five years later. • The Rose Bowl Game is known as “The Granddaddy of Them All” because the 1902 event was the first national, post-season, collegiate football game. • In 1916, the second Game was played, and football has been an integral part of America’s New Year’s festivities ever since. • The Rose Bowl Game has been a sell-out every year since 1947 – the first game under the Tournament’s exclusive agreement with the Big Ten and Pacific Coast, now the Pac-10 conference. • Today the Rose Bowl is part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) which guarantees a match up between college football’s top two teams in a true national championship game. • The Rose Bowl Game is also a member of the Football Bowl Association.
