Independence Day, a derby of the most populated city in California, and on top of that - Rose Bowl - an extraordinary stadium for an unexceptional event. As predicted, all these factors meant that Major League Soccer has a new record, and it is not because of Leo Messi.

1994 World Cup final arena still alive

For the first time in almost a century, the MLS match between LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC — jokingly known as El Trafico — replaced Pasadena's customary Fourth of July fireworks show on Tuesday. An astonishing number of spectators packed Rose Bowl stadium. A Major League Soccer record of 82,110 spectators showed up to the game, according to the Galaxy.

After years of financial reductions for the stadium due to chaos and debt obligations, as well as poor attendance at last year's fireworks show and a corresponding loss of about $500,000, the Rose Bowl did not host the Fourth of July fireworks show this year. El Trafico, on the other hand, is anticipated to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

© David Guyon

Previous record far behind

Here are the previous top five MLS match attendances:

• 74,479: LA Galaxy-Charlotte, March 5, 2022
• 73 019: Atlanta-Portland, December 8, 2018
• 72,548: LA Galaxy-Atlanta, August 3, 2019
• 72,243: Seattle-Atlanta, July 15, 2018
• 72,035: DC-Atlanta, March 11, 2018

The record set on Tuesday beats the previous one by as many as 7,631 spectators. Neutral fans could not feel disappointed, as the encounter itself was also very exciting. Tyler Boyd and Riqui Puig each had a goal and an assist for Galaxy, with Puig passing to Boyd in the first half and Boyd returning the favour in the second. Ilie Sánchez scored the only goal for LAFC in the 57th minute, but it wasn't enough for the surging Galaxy.

The Rose Bowl, Tuesday night's arena, is legendary as the largest stadium in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the site of the "Rose Bowl" game and, since 1982, also the home of the university's UCLA Bruins. However, this stadium, like hardly any other in North America, also has great significance for football. Firstly, it is the arena of the 1994 World Cup final! Secondly, the gold medal match of the 1984 Olympics was played here. Thirdly, the final of the 1999 Women's World Cup. Although a few lean years are behind the venue, events such as El Trafico can restore the Rose Bowl to its former glory.

© Doc Searls (cc: by)