Amid high heat, UCLA and USC kick off football season
Thousands of fans will go to the Rose Bowl and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Saturday as UCLA and USC begin their football seasons. Officials at both stadiums are making changes to help attendees cope with the scorching heat wave that has been over the Southland, anticipated to bake both venues.
UCLA will kick off its season at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, as the Bruins take on Bowling Green at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. USC's season-opener against Rice is set for 3 p.m. at the Coliseum.
"As a legacy to my parents, we've held season tickets here for 34 years," said Rick, a UCLA fan who got to Pasadena at 3:30 a.m. to set up his tent with his family. "It will be a lot of fun. We have waters and beverages."
Temperatures are likely to be in or near the triple-digits in both venues due to a heat wave expected to linger through the Labor Day weekend.
As a result, fans at both stadiums will be met with relaxed restrictions on water bottles and extra hydration stations.
At the Rose Bowl, fans will be permitted to bring factory-sealed water bottles up to 32 ounces into the stadium. Non-glass, empty beverage containers up to 32 ounces will also be permitted, and they can be filled at "Water Monster" stations near Tunnels 23A, 28A and 11.
Officials noted that water fountains are also located outside concourse restrooms, and misting systems will be operating at all of them. Additional tents with misters, fans and shade will be placed near Tunnels 28A and 23A, and at Gates C and D.
Fans waiting to get into the stadium before the game will be able to visit air-conditioned "cooling buses" located outside Gates B and D beginning at 10 a.m. Once fans enter the stadium, they can access one of the buses by going to the Public Safety Building near Tunnel 28.
Samples of hydrating "liquid I.V." will be available at Gates A and N.
The Bruins stormed to a 45-17 victory over Bowling Green State University.
At the Coliseum, the stadium is lifting its restrictions on water carried into the venue. Fans can bring an unlimited number of clear water bottles up to 20 ounces. Empty refillable water bottles are also permitted. Free water cups will also be offered at all concession stands.
Officials urged fans to drink plenty of water and limit consumption of alcohol, coffee and soft drinks. Fans were also advised to wear light- colored and lightweight clothing, take frequent shade breaks and notify an attendant immediately if they develop any symptoms of heat illness.
"It's too hot out here," said one USC fan bearing the extreme heat, one of the many doing their best to "Fight On" - as the Trojans motto states. "But, we're having fun. Just hydrate; I got a beer right here and a water right here. One and one, you have to."
According to USC, cooling fans will be operating at all entrance gates. A shade tent with seating will be available at First Aid Gate 1, with additional shaded areas at the Heritage Concourse on Level 1, and at Olympic Plaza. Bags of ice will also be available at Gates 1, 11 and 23 and at Concourse 17.
Trojans fans were more than okay with braving the sweltering heat to see the debut of the Lincoln Riley era.
"Lincoln Riley, it's SC - it's a new era!" said another woman more than willing to suffer through the sweltering heat to watch the Trojans. "So you have to come, you can't miss this now. The heat's not stopping us."
USC started their new era with a dominant victory over Rice University, 66-14.
