The Pasadena Tournament of Roses announced Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson will serve as the Grand Marshal of the next Rose Parade, which is set for Jan. 1, 2026.
It marks a second consecutive year that a Dodgers official will serve as the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade as Billie Jean King had the honor in 2025.
Sticking with tradition, Johnson will ride down Colorado Boulevard and help usher in the new year as the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade. He will also participate in the pre-game ceremony at the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 112th Rose Bowl Game.
Johnson is most known for his legendary basketball career that saw him lead the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships. Since his retirement, he has become a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who supports underserved communities through his Magic Johnson Foundation.
Johnson also helped launch LA Rises, a private-sector recovery initiative that is directing significant resources toward wildfire relief efforts in Southern California.
Johnson joined the Dodgers ownership group during the 2012 season and has won two World Series titles with the organization. He has gone on to win titles as part-owner of the Los Angeles Football Club and Los Angeles Sparks.
Johnson additionally is a part-owner of the Washington Commanders and Washington Spirit, and hopes to own an NBA franchise one day.
Magic Johnson compares Dodgers’ season to Lakers
As the Dodgers looked to become baseball’s first repeat champion in 25 years, Johnson compared them to the 1987-1988 Lakers team that fought hard to win a second consecutive NBA title.
“This year reminds me of ’88. We had won the championship in ’87 and we were trying to go back-to-back. We found out how difficult it was going to be for us to do that,” Johnson recently recalled.
“This season has been the same to me like the season we went through in ’88. We ended up winning, but we had to play three seven-game series to actually win the championship. We’re starting to play our best baseball right now and hopefully we’ll get everybody back soon.
“Dave has done a wonderful job as our manager. We should clap for that. He’s done a heck of a job.”
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
