First Rose Bowl Tickets to Be Offered

Even before the USC-UCLA kickoff, Rose Bowl ticket fever is underway.

In a local tradition, Pasadena residents -- who must show proof of residency -- can line up beginning at 7 a.m. today at the Pasadena Civic Center box office for what amounts to a lottery for the chance to buy up to two of the 500 Rose Bowl tickets designated for residents.

“I would anticipate it would be crowded,” said Mitch Dorger, chief executive of the Tournament of Roses.

To purchase the $175 tickets, fans must show picture identification with a Pasadena address, or a valid California picture identification along with a document such as a utility bill that establishes Pasadena residency.

Armbands will be distributed from 8 to 9 a.m., with ticket purchases beginning with a random number at 10 a.m.

With most of the approximately 89,000 tickets designated for participating schools, the Pacific 10 and Big Ten conferences and the 935 Tournament of Roses members, there are few opportunities for the public to buy tickets to the Jan. 4 game.

One begins at 8 a.m. Tuesday through Ticketmaster at (213) 365-3675 or www.ticketmaster.com, though only 1,000 are tickets available.

Another possible option -- which concludes within moments of the formal announcement of the participating teams Sunday -- is through www.theticketreserve.com, which contracted with the Rose Bowl to auction the right to purchase one of 2,500 tickets at $175 face value should a particular team such as USC or Texas qualify. (The right to buy a ticket is worthless if your team is not chosen, however.)

The right to purchase a ticket if USC qualifies was offered at $500 Friday, for an effective price of $610 including the $175 face value and a transaction fee.

Local ticket broker Barry’s Tickets’ lowest-priced Rose Bowl ticket was $870 Friday.