Suddenly, USC found itself breaking the picket line of the Culinary Workers Union – and establishing it was in no way their choice to do so. On Friday morning, nine hours before kickoff for the game between USC and Texas A&M, USC sent an unprompted statement to the Southern California News Group saying the university was “very disappointed” it had been “placed in the middle of an ongoing labor dispute” by the Las Vegas Bowl.
“Since learning about the strike by hospitality workers, USC has repeatedly asked the Bowl for viable hotel alternatives, so that our team would not have to cross a picket line,” USC wrote in the statement. “Unfortunately, the Bowl has been unable to change hotels on such short notice.”