Bloom Is on Again

USC may be unhappy about not making the bowl championship series’ national-title game, but Rose Bowl officials have reason to be thrilled the Trojans will face off against Michigan in their game, especially after last year’s disappointing New Year’s Day contest.

“The magic is back,” said Darryl Dunn, the Rose Bowl’s general manager. “Whether you agree with the BCS formula or not, karma is with us this year, and it feels good knowing we have a game that’s going to be gripping the nation.”

Added Bill Thomson, a member of the Rose Bowl Operating Co. and a former Pasadena mayor: “This takes us right back to the pinnacle of collegiate football.... It’s back the way it used to be.” USC, which has been a Rose Bowl participant 29 times, had hoped to play in the Sugar Bowl, which will decide the national title -- at least under the bowl championship series system. Although the Associated Press poll of sports media and USA Today/ESPN coaches poll ranked USC first, the computer-assisted BCS ranking placed the Trojans third, allowing Louisiana State and Oklahoma to square off in the Sugar Bowl.

The result: The Trojans return to Pasadena, which last year featured out-of-town teams Washington State and Oklahoma and failed to generate lots of local interest. The 2003 Rose Bowl, with a lackluster matchup, had a disappointing turnout of 86,848, the sparsest crowd since 1944.

There were blocks of empty seats, including several rows garlanded by the red-and-silver pompoms of Washington State. The school sold only 26,000 of its 32,000 ticket allotment and was left with a tab of about $750,000 for the unused $125 seats.

It had been 10 years since a Rose Bowl team had failed to sell its allotment of tickets.

The message was brought home by images on TV.

“It was very said to look out at the stadium and see all those empty seats,” Thomson said.

Even so, the game generated more than $210 million for the Southern California economy, according to the Pasadena Tournament or Roses Assn. The return of the cardinal and gold to the Rose Bowl -- matched against a dynamic draw such as Big Ten conference champion Michigan -- could, some think, mean an even better year.

Local pubs, eateries, hotels and rental car agencies do some of their best business New Year’s week, so local merchants are happy.”It’s all about travel teams, and Michigan is a great travel team,” said Marc Vertoch, who runs Jake’s Billiards, near the Rose Parade route. New Year’s Day 2003 was the best since 2000 for his business, “and we expect to do better this year.”

Ralph Grippo, general manager of the 392-room Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pasadena, agreed that the picture is as rosy as ever, even with only one out-of-town team.

“We do very well during every parade and game, regardless of who’s playing,” he said. “With New Year’s Eve, the parade and the game, it’s like the Triple Crown. Nobody else can match that.”

Some merchants optimistically look forward to New Year’s Day, no matter who is playing.

“I don’t think so much that it’s about USC,” said Joseph Mikuconis, general manager of Gordon Biersch brewery and restaurant in Old Pasadena. “With the Rose Bowl, in general, you can’t lose,” economically speaking.

At least $200 million in direct spending will be pumped into the Los Angeles-area economy by the Rose Bowl, based on a 2002 study done by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assn., which runs the Rose Parade.

The data showed that Rose Bowl-associated economic activity “is bigger than any sporting event in the country, except the Super Bowl,” said Mitch Dorger, the association’s chief executive.

Because USC is a local team, spending is likely to be less than it would be if two out-of-town colleges were competing, Dorger said, but the difference will be less than 5% if the study’s figures hold true.

Here’s the math: The difference between what a local fan and an out-of-town visitor spends during the week is about $372, according to the association’s study.

If 30,000 people attend locally that might have come from out of town, the loss is slightly more than $11 million from the $225 million generated by the two out-of-town teams analyzed in the study.

“That still leaves a huge number -- over $200 million,” Dorger said. “This is the difference between an A-plus and an A-plus-plus.”

This year, the usual capacity crowd of more than 92,000 is expected, as well as 200,000 or more parade-goers.

“The old saying is true,” said Steve Madison, a Pasadena city councilman. “Every year some number of thousands of people move to Southern California after watching the Rose Bowl game. It’s invariably a chamber of commerce day.”

As for football purists, they like the 2004 matchup for another reason: “Tradition is restored,” said the Rose Bowl’s Dunn. “We have the Big Ten and Pac-10 playing on Jan 1 in Pasadena. There is nothing more traditional than seeing Michigan and USC.”

Times staff writer Christiana Sciaudone contributed to this report.