UCLA Regains Stadium Access Through 2025 Season, but Veterans’ Advocates Criticize Agreement
Judge David O. Carter has reversed his previous order that locked UCLA out of Jackie Robinson Stadium and has given UCLA permission to resume use of Jackie Robinson Stadium. This change comes after the university agreed to pay the Department of Veterans Affairs $600,000. The decision, issued Tuesday in federal court, allows UCLA to use the stadium through the 2025 college baseball season.
The $600,000 is twice the amount of rent that UCLA would normally pay for usage of the field.
Rob Reynolds, the spokesman for the group of veterans who initiated the class action lawsuit so that the VA land would be used for its original purpose, housing veterans, said that the veterans were insulted by the payment amount. He noted that the money that UCLA would be required to pay is still less than the yearly salary of a UCLA Baseball coach. John Savage, coach for the team made $848,000 in 2023, according to The Daily Bruin.
In September, Judge Carter had ordered UCLA to padlock the facility until it devised a plan demonstrating how the stadium would serve military veterans. Following a month-long closure, Carter approved a temporary lease agreement permitting UCLA’s use of the stadium, including its practice field, concessions, and training facilities, through July 4, 2025.
While the stadium will be accessible to UCLA until that date, its long-term future remains uncertain. Judge Carter noted that the land could potentially be repurposed for veteran housing after 2025 unless the two sides can come to an agreement. Access to the stadium resumed at noon on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
