Tournament of Roses

What Tournament of Roses does

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association is a 137-year-old non-profit volunteer organization founded in 1890 in Pasadena, California, that produces America's New Year Celebration. Its two flagship events are the Rose Parade — a 5.5-mile procession along Colorado Boulevard featuring 86 floral-covered floats, 19 marching bands, and 17 equestrian units — and the Rose Bowl Game, a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. The organization is run by 935 volunteer members supplying over 80,000 hours annually, supported by a paid staff of 11-50. Core technology centers on float construction using natural and organic materials (flowers, seeds, grains) combined with animated mechanical systems powered by electro-servo hydraulics; the 2026 America250 float, for example, incorporated 500,000 flowers and a 55-foot animated structure.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit monetization: presenting sponsorships (Honda for Rose Parade, Prudential for Rose Bowl Game), corporate sponsorships (Kaiser Permanente, Citizens Business Bank), ticket sales through Sharp Seating Company (grandstand, Bandfest, Equestfest, Floatfest, Decorating Places), official merchandise (shoptournamentofroses.com), broadcast rights across ABC/NBC/CNN/Fox/Telemundo and 8 streaming platforms, and event-driven revenue from supporting events. Go-to-market is event-driven, leveraging broadcast partnerships and a recently expanded digital livestream that grew from 25,000 viewers in 2024 to 2.67 million in 2025. The organization operates from Tournament House (the historic Wrigley Mansion on 4.5 acres with 1,500+ rose varieties) and runs a Foundation that has invested $5.5M+ across 700+ Pasadena-area organizations since 1983.

Customer segments include general consumers/tourists (in-person and broadcast audiences), float builders and sponsors (commissioning elaborate floats), marching bands and equestrian units (performance participants), and corporate sponsors (brand association). Recent strategic emphasis has been on digital audience expansion — including TikTok, multi-platform streaming, and a mobile app — and community programs (Rose Court, ROSE Scholars, Foundation grants, fire-relief ticket distribution). The organization is privately held, owns four registered trademarks, and reports no equity, funding, or acquisition activity.

Name

Tournament of Roses

Legal name

Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association

Website

https://tournamentofroses.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association is a 137-year-old nonprofit volunteer organization that produces America's New Year Celebration, including the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game, serving live audiences, global broadcast viewers, corporate sponsors, and participating float builders and performers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management & Live Entertainment

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs (MPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Collegiate & Scholastic Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAG), Floral & Event Installations (HSACAAAC)

Keywords

• Event management services
• Annual parade production
• College football bowl game
• Community volunteer programs
• Floral float construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from Rose Parade grandstand tickets, Rose Bowl Game tickets, Floatfest, Bandfest, Equestfest, and Decorating Places tickets sold through Sharp Seating Company
2. Sponsorships: Presenting sponsorships from Honda (Rose Parade), Prudential (Rose Bowl Game), and corporate sponsorship packages including Citizens Business Bank, Kaiser Permanente, and other partners
3. Official Merchandise: Sale of official Tournament of Roses merchandise through the online shop at shoptournamentofroses.com
4. Broadcasting Rights: Television broadcast rights and livestreaming partnerships across multiple networks and platforms including ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox, Great American Media, TikTok, and various streaming services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that produces and hosts America's New Year Celebration, anchored by the Rose Parade presented by Honda — a 5.5-mile parade featuring floral floats, marching bands, and equestrian units — and the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential, a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. The organization also runs supporting events (Bandfest, Equestfest, Floatfest, Decorating Places), the Rose Court ambassador program, scholarship and foundation grant programs, official merchandise sales, and Tournament House public tours.

Product overview

The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that hosts America's New Year Celebration consisting of the Rose Parade (the flagship event featuring elaborately decorated floral floats, marching bands, and equestrian units along a 5.5-mile route), the Rose Bowl Game (College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium), and supporting events including Bandfest, Equestfest, Floatfest, and Decorating Places. The organization offers digital services including an official Rose Parade App and multi-platform livestream available across eight streaming services plus national television broadcasts. Community programs include the Rose Court (seven ambassador scholarships), ROSE Scholars Program ($20,000 annual scholarships), Foundation grants ($200,000+ annually to local organizations), and the Día de los Muertos Art Competition. The organization also operates the Tournament House (historic headquarters offering free public tours) and an official merchandise shop. The organization has 935 members supplying over 80,000 volunteer hours annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rose Parade: The annual New Year's Day parade featuring floats, marching bands, and equestrian units along a 5.5-mile route in Pasadena.
• Rose Bowl Game
• The Granddaddy of Them All
• Floatfest
• Bandfest
• Equestfest
• Rose Court
• ROSE Scholars

Products and services

• Rose Parade
• Rose Bowl Game
• Official Rose Parade App
• Rose Parade Livestream
• Bandfest
• Equestfest
• Floatfest
• Decorating Places
• Tournament of Roses Official Shop Tournament House Tours
• Rose Court
• ROSE Scholars Program
• Pasadena Tournament of Roses Foundation Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ million traditional TV viewers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• TikTokcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 December 2025First-ever TikTok livestream partnership for the Rose Parade. One-hour creator-driven broadcast beginning January 1 at 8 a.m. PT on @rose.parade and @TikTok. Part of strategy to attract younger audiences with behind-the-scenes access.
• Sharp Seating CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 December 2025Official grandstand seating and ticket company partner distributing Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game, Bandfest, Equestfest, Floatfest and Decorating Places tickets.
• Alaska AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Support partner providing complimentary tickets for fire-impacted residents of the Eaton and Palisades fires.
• Altadena Town CouncilminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Community partner for distributing complimentary Rose Parade tickets to fire-impacted residents.
• Black Freedom FundminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Community partner distributing complimentary Rose Parade tickets and creator of 'Rising Together' float honoring wildfire victims and survivors.
• California Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Community partner and co-creator of 'Rising Together' wildfire memorial float with Black Freedom Fund.
• Pasadena Community CoalitionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Community partner distributing complimentary tickets for fire-impacted residents.
• Pasadena Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Community partner distributing complimentary tickets for fire-impacted residents.
• YMCA of Metropolitan Los AngelesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 December 2025Community partner distributing complimentary tickets for fire-impacted residents.
• Explore LouisianacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 December 2025Fifth consecutive year presenting the Mid-Parade Performance with 'Gulf to Gumbo' float celebrating Louisiana cuisine and culture. Has won multiple parade awards including Wrigley Legacy Award (2022), Showmanship Award (2023, 2024), and Director's Award (2025).
• Visit MississippicoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 December 2025Presents the 2026 Mid-Parade Performance with 'Mississippi: Where Creativity Blooms' float featuring Kermit the Frog, Charlie Worsham performance, and celebration of Mississippi's artistic and literary heritage.
• HondaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Rose Parade for more than a decade. Honda provides a fleet of 130 vehicles loaned to the Tournament of Roses during Parade season, including white-glove shuttle services for Rose Bowl VIPs in Honda Odysseys and transportation for VIPs including Association President, Grand Marshal, and Mayor on Parade day.
• PrudentialflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl Game, part of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal.
• Citizens Business BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the 107th Rose Queen Coronation ceremony and Rose Court program.
• Great American MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational linear, digital, and streaming home for the 137th Rose Parade presented by Honda, airing across Great American Family, GFam+, and Great American Pure Flix platforms.
• Kaiser PermanenteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport sponsor for the 2026 Rose Parade livestream alongside presenting sponsor Honda and Visit California.
• Knox & DobsonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partnership announced October 2025.
• lululemonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for third annual Run With the Roses 5K event.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fiesta Bowl: The Fiesta Bowl is a College Football Playoff-bowl game operator producing a marquee post-season college football event with sponsor packages, broadcast partnerships, and community programming — directly comparable to the Tournament of Roses' Rose Bowl Game operations in sport, scale, and revenue model.
• Orange Bowl Committee: The Orange Bowl Committee organizes the Capital One Orange Bowl as a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, with presenting sponsors, broadcast partnerships, and community foundation programs. Highly comparable in event scale, governance (volunteer-driven committee), and the New Year's/post-season timing.
• Sugar Bowl Committee: The Allstate Sugar Bowl is another CFP-bowl committee that organizes a premier New Year's-season college football game, complete with title sponsorship, broadcast partnerships, and civic programs. Comparable in event economics, sponsor structure, and nonprofit-style committee governance.
• Times Square Alliance: The Times Square Alliance manages the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, an iconic American New Year's tradition with presenting sponsorships (e.g., major consumer brands), live broadcast, and tourism draw. The most directly comparable organization in terms of 'managed New Year's civic spectacle with global broadcast.'
• Cotton Bowl Athletic Association: The Cotton Bowl Athletic Association runs the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, a CFP-bowl event with presenting sponsorships and broadcast rights. Directly comparable in event production, sponsor ecosystem, and post-season college football positioning alongside the Rose Bowl Game.
• Sun Bowl Association: The Sun Bowl Association operates the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, a long-running college football bowl game with similar sponsor structure, broadcast partnerships, and community programming. Comparable as a smaller-scale but structurally analogous bowl-game operator with nonprofit-style volunteer governance.

Others

• LA Tourism & Convention Board: LA Tourism promotes the Los Angeles region as a destination. While not a competing event operator, it is a regional ecosystem partner driving hotel stays, visitor traffic, and tourism dollars tied to the Tournament of Roses' New Year's footprint.
• City of Pasadena: The City of Pasadena holds the deed to the Tournament House property (gifted by the Wrigley family in 1958) and is the municipal jurisdiction permitting the 5.5-mile parade route. As the host-city government, it is a structural partner and stakeholder, not a competitor, but a key dependency for event operations.
• Pasadena Heritage: Pasadena Heritage is the local historic preservation nonprofit that supports Pasadena civic landmarks, including the Wrigley Mansion/Tournament House. While not a competing event organizer, it shares the Pasadena civic ecosystem and stakeholder relationships around the Tournament House and Wrigley Gardens.

Broad incumbents

• Macy's, Inc. Macy's operates the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the most directly comparable American parade brand with similar televised scale, marching bands, and float tradition. While Macy's is a public retail corporation with far broader scope, its parade operations are the closest analog to the Tournament of Roses' parade production model and broadcast rights structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pasadenatofr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC42v-L0e7aCw4u5Rw-yaD0A
• Facebookfacebook.com/roseparade
• Instagraminstagram.com/rose_parade
• TikToktiktok.com/@rose.parade

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tournament of Roses