Larry H. Miller ownership will bring stability to RSL

(by Patrick Kinahan ksl.com 6-17-25)

On a gorgeous evening, standing before the nostalgic admirers showering him with affection, Nick Rimando was inducted into the Real Salt Lake ring of honor at America First Field.

From 2007-19, Rimando was a steady presence at goalkeeper for the Major League Soccer franchise. During his tenure in the league, which included stints with D.C. United and the Miami Fusion, he set records in appearances, minutes, saves, wins and clean sheets.

As Rimando got ready to speak, the crowd chanted his name in unison. The familiar scene has played out countless times in stadiums across the world as teams recognize great players who made strong connections with respective fan bases.

Those relationships between players and fans are among the primary factors that create loyalty with the ticket-paying customers. It's an ingredient missing, to a degree, lately for RSL, which has undergone significant roster changes.

In short, fans desire to connect with talented familiar faces. Look no further than the Utah Jazz, which has enjoyed enormous success with a foundation built on stability.

RSL needs the same consistency the Jazz had under the Larry H. Miller ownership group for decades before selling the team to Ryan Smith's group. And if history is an indication, now that the LHM people bought the team, count on it.

During the press conference announcing the Miller family's acquisition of RSL and the Utah Royals, Steve Miller said as much. Miller, who serve will serve as chairman and governor of both teams, is the son of the late Larry Miller.

"I think what we bring is stability. I think we bring a great understanding of this market," he said in a Deseret News story, noting the family's almost 50 years of experience in all facets of running a professional sports franchise.

"I think the sum total of the package that we bring is going to be — I'm not a huge fan of the word synergistic so maybe find a synonym for that — but I think there's a lot of adjacencies. ... Our expectation, frankly, is that bringing that to the table is exactly what these franchises need."

The Miller way has energized coach Pablo Mastroeni during a trying season. After making the playoffs last season, and then losing several key cogs, RSL is languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

The roster changes combined with the new ownership have made this season a transitional year. At the same time, the team's administration is excited for the future.

"Obviously, the proof is in the pudding when they owned the Jazz and how remarkable that team was and perennial playoff contenders," Mastroeni said during his weekly appearance on The Zone. "The one thing that they've made really clear is they want to build a team similar (to the Jazz) — something the fans can hold on to because the stars will be here."

In the world of soccer basically teams can sign and sell players from and to different leagues, which was the case for RSL last offseason in both situations. Mastroeni believes his team can lose players but still maintain a nucleus to remain consistently competitive.

He points to Diego Luna as an example of a player capable of staying with RSL over the next decade. At 21, the northern California native is already a fan favorite.

The Millers "want to build a team that everyone in the community can really hang on to for years and it's not just switching players out because we want to sell them. Every player's situation is going to be different, but the philosophy I think moving forward is we want consistency.

"To be successful year after year you must have a core of players that are reliable, that can grow together, that understand their different clicks, I think that's how you build a successful team. I'm so grateful that the Miller family has joined."

Another plus is local ownership, which arguably lends itself to a great urgency to be successful. Former majority owner David Blitzer, who has maintained a stake, is from New Jersey and has shares of several sports teams around the world.

"It's different when you have local ownership," Mastroeni said. "They come to the games (and) their fans. They want the same thing that we all want, which is to win. I think they're going to do it a little differently and build some continuity within the group — hopefully, keep a lot of these young players that are developing under our watch."

https://www.ksl.com/article/51331457/patrick-kinahan-larry-h-miller-ownership-will-bring-stability-to-rsl

Isn't it ironic

Kind of funny, ironic, or sad, however you look at it, that the Miller group bought RSL seeing as back in the day Dave Checketts (RSL's founder) accused Larry H. Miller of trying to sabotage any RSL stadium deal.

I vividly remember Dave Checketts being interviewed by Doug Wright on KSL radio when Checketts was pushing to get a stadium deal done. He was running into a lot of road blocks, or at least he saw it that way, and he accused Larry Miller of working behind the scenes to sabotage any stadium progress. 

Doug Wright was shocked.

But I kind of side with Checketts on this one because I also remember Larry Miller being interviews on KSL radio when he was interested in buying the Minnesota Twins MLB team and move them to Utah. He was asked if there would be enough of a fan base to support a MLB team and he replied "We'll have to wait and see how the soccer team does."

Meaning he thought that if the soccer team was successful then there wouldn't be enough other sports fans out there to support a MLB baseball team whose season schedule would over lap that of a MLS team.

You have to remember this all took place at a different time when Utah's population was about half what it is now. 

Anyway, the soccer team stayed, the Twins did not come to Utah, and now the Millers own RSL.

What the hell?

Miller family buys RSL, Royals as Smith Entertainment Group exits

(ksl.com April 18, 2025)

The Miller family is expanding its sports ownership portfolio five years after selling the Utah Jazz to Ryan Smith.

Miller Sports and Entertainment announced its acquisition Friday of the controlling interest in RSL Football Holdings, which runs both Real Salt Lake in MLS and Utah Royals FC in the NWSL.

The official announcement came during a press conference at America First Field that featured the commissioners from both leagues, along with Utah Governor Spencer Cox.

Former majority owner David Blitzer was also in attendance and will remain on as the second-largest owner behind the Millers, while Smith Entertainment Group will exit the soccer sphere.

"I'm very excited to work with everyone and continue to build on the successes of RSL and the Utah Royals, and ultimately bring championships to Utah," Blitzer said.

Smith congratulated Larry H. Miller Company co-founder Gail Miller on the purchase of the two soccer clubs in a statement Friday.

"We are glad that soccer is staying in Utah, and Gail Miller is an ideal local steward to lead Utah's professional soccer franchises moving forward," Smith said. "With so much growth on the horizon for Smith Entertainment Group ... now is the right time to tighten our focus on the NBA, NHL and other areas where we can make the biggest impact on our state, our community, and the world of sports."

The Millers maintained a smaller role in the Utah sports scene after its sale of the Jazz with continued stewardship over the Salt Lake Bees, which included moving the minor league side to a new ballpark in Daybreak.

ESPN reported in March that the Miller family was interested in purchasing RSL three years ago when Smith and Blitzer took over, and now they get their chance to run professional soccer in the state of Utah.

Steve Miller, chairman of the Larry H. Miller Company, will serve as chairman and governor for both clubs. Blitzer stays on as alternate governor for RSL and former Utah Jazz president and Larry H. Miller CEO Steve Starks will be the Royals' alternate governor.

"These clubs' values align so closely with our family's values and the way that we think about professional sports," Steve Miller said. "We love how soccer has grown here in Utah. We believe it's family-friendly, and it includes communities.

"We built our business headquarters right here in Sandy, not far from where we stand, and we look forward and are grateful for the opportunity to continue to invest in the state as well as in these strong teams."'

The Millers own the Jordan Commons business area across State Street from America First Field, which also includes the company's Megaplex Theaters offices. Starks committed to keeping the teams in Sandy and said there are plans to develop both the stadium and areas around it to enhance the gameday experience.

The Athletic reported the value of Friday's sale to the Millers at $600 million. Smith and Blitzer purchased RSL for approximately $400 million in January 2022 and brought the Royals back to Utah last year as an expansion team for a reported $2 million fee to the NWSL.

Though brief, the Smith-Blitzer ownership era included the two largest player purchases in RSL history in Andres Gomez and Chicho Arango, and the largest sale when Gomez was flipped to French club Rennes in August 2024.

The ownership group also invested heavily in the return of the Royals by building a new training and performance center for the NWSL side connected to RSL's facility in Herriman.

MLS commissioner Don Garber commented during the press conference that Friday's event was the largest club announcement he has attended in MLS and also the first event to feature both himself and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman.

"The fact that we, together, can take this sport and combine the power of what makes sports so important and how it can enrich and improve lives," Garber said. "Particularly in a state like Utah that has such strong participation, speaks to the momentum and the vision and the opportunity that this sport, this club, and our sister club, the Royals, can have in just making our country a powerful soccer nation."

https://www.ksl.com/article/51297183/miller-family-buys-rsl-royals-as-smith-entertainment-group-exits

Oh, RSL is in the playoffs I guess

I really had no idea but here is an article from KSL.

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RSL falls in penalties to Minnesota in playoff opener

(ksl.com 10-29-24)

Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath matched his season high in saves with seven and added another one during Tuesday's penalty shootout at America First Field.

Still, it wasn't enough in a playoff-opening loss to Minnesota United FC.

The temperature dipped below 40 degrees as the new MLS playoff format dictated the game go directly to a penalty kick shootout with all zeroes on the scoreboard after a chilly and somewhat stale 90 minutes.

MacMath made the play he needed to with a save on the third penalty attempt from Minnesota, but Justen Glad missed the ensuing shot for RSL to take the shootout deeper into the near-freezing late autumn night.

Minnesota made its next three penalty shots, and Braian Ojeda hit the crossbar for a miss on the sixth RSL attempt for a 5-4 shootout loss.

"We gave ourselves a really good chance to win this game," MacMath said. "And obviously fell short."

United entered the day as one of the hottest teams in the league with four wins in five straight unbeaten matches and brought the fight to AFF with a lead in both total shots and shots on target. Keeper Dayne St. Clair proved a worthy opposite to MacMath in goal with six saves of his own.

The Minnesota defense frustrated RSL's advances throughout the game with a five-man "low block" that made it difficult to find spaces in the final third of the field.

Head coach Pablo Mastroeni said the team just needed to "make plays" and lamented that "you can't tactic your way into the back of the net."

Diego Luna had the best chance of the evening for RSL just 13 minutes in but St. Clair got to it for his first block of the night. Luna exited the match in the 70th minute and Mastroeni said the MLS Young Player of the Year finalist was "cramping up."

Whether it was cramps or the lack of goals, Luna's frustration was evident as he kicked over a cooler of drinks on his way to the RSL bench. Minnesota has now held RSL to zero goals through the last two meetings between the two teams, dating back to another 0-0 draw on Oct. 2 near the end of the regular season.

"We'll go back to the drawing board and just figure out ways to get guys in dangerous areas," Mastroeni said of the offensive struggles. "And hopefully, you know, this weekend we'll get a goal that changes the landscape."

RSL now heads to Minneapolis on Saturday for a must-win Game 2 in the best-of-three first round of MLS Cup playoffs.

https://www.ksl.com/article/51166102/rsl-falls-in-penalties-to-minnesota-in-playoff-opener

RSL Comeback Effort Falls Shy as 2023 Campaign Ends in Houston

I honestly care so little about MLS and RSL that I can't even find the energy to copy and paste an article for historical purposes. Here is a link you can click on if you want, but honestly why would you want to?

https://www.rsl.com/news/rsl-comeback-effort-falls-shy-as-2023-campaign-ends-in-houston

RSL on a roll and Patrick Eccles celebrates an anniversary

I check out ksl.com daily for my local news, and for some reason they keep putting up RSL game results. So whether I want to or not I've seen RSL move up the in the standings of what is the MLS freak show. Good for them, 3rd in the West I see.

I still don't care.

However, I would like to see them take the US Open Cup, that in my mind is a proper soccer championship. So not all of my RSL fandom has died, just the portion that has anything to do with MLS. US Soccer I suppose deserves a little credit for keeping the Open Cup going.

August 23rd in Houston I see is their next game. Good lord, that won't be humid at all. God bless them, hopefully no one suffers a heat stroke.

Moving on to more important things, "los sanfermines" just ended in Pamplona. A little over a week of running with the bulls in the morning and then bullfights in the afternoon. Along with 24 hours of drinking and other debauchery. 

Bull runs available on YouTube and the bull fights available on my Mundotoro TV app. It has been wonderful, everything so easily available to watch. 

This year was kind of special, although I think I am the only one in the State of Utah that knew about it. This year was the 10 year anniversary of  the goring of local boy Patrick Eccles. It was all over the news 10 years ago. He survived thank goodness, he very easily could have died. The goring was that bad. He did lose his spleen though, poor guy. And he took a lot of guff for running with a cell phone in his hand, a big no-no. 

I follow him on Facebook and Instagram and I was waiting to see if he was going to put anything up on the anniversary but he did not. I was kind of hoping he would put of the video that he shot on his cell phone. 

I did a little follow up post on my Plaza de Toros blog after I found a couple of photos that had previously gone unnoticed. Here's a link;

http://blogplazadetoros.blogspot.com/2023/07/10-years-ago-today.html

And here is one of the original photos, in case you missed it 10 years ago.

Ernest Hemingway once said, "Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bullfighters."

Bull runners probably feel like they live quite a bit of it up too.

Golazo, Pablo Ruiz !

Hopefully he gets goal of the year.

RSL in heated last place race in the West

 

So it appears RSL is in a heated race for last place in the West along with the Galaxy, Sporting KC, and Colorado after another loss yesterday. *snicker* *giggle* *guffaw*

(RSL now has one win for the season and now a four game losing streak going strong.)

Now if MLS had switched to a promotion/relegation model several years ago like they should have the season would still be interesting as we would cheer them on to get out of the relegation zone. But, as of now, the season is a wash.  

I guess it doesn't really matter though, I hadn't planned on caring anyway as this year we have huge bullfight news, the biggest bullfight news (at least for bullfight afficionados in the United States are concerned) in the last 25 years. 

Stay tuned for another post as the week goes on and I will explain. 

Austin FC survives Real Salt Lake’s upset bid, takes first-round MLS playoff match on penalties

 We lost to these bums?

Well, it's probably for the best, now I don't have to hear anymore about RSL or MLS for at least a few months.

Now if the USMNT can just get beat by England, Wales, and Iran I won't have to hear about this World Cup nonsense for another four years either.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Of course Austin FC’s first-ever playoff match has to be settled in the most dramatic way possible,

Verde has a knack for clawing back and finishing matches late, especially at Q2 Stadium, and Sunday’s first-round Western Conference playoff match was no different. Tied 2-2 after regulation and extra time, Austin FC buried its first three penalty kicks and goalkeeper Brad Stuver turned two Real Salt Lake chances back, and Austin FC claimed its first-ever win in the Major League Soccer playoffs.

(link to full article) - https://www.kxan.com/sports-general/austin-fc/austin-fc-hosts-real-salt-lake-in-franchises-first-ever-mls-playoff-appearance/

RSL blanks Minnesota 3-0 in front of 14th-consecutive sellout crowd

 (ksl.com 8-31-22)

Real Salt Lake got its first win at home in over a month and flexed its offensive talents in a 3-0 win over Minnesota United FC at Rio Tinto Stadium in Wednesday.

The result kept RSL in sixth place in the Western Conference, 4 points clear of the playoff line and just 2 points behind third-place Minnesota. The RioT reached sellout status for the 14th consecutive time this season, and RSL got its first shutout and home win since July 17 against Sporting Kansas City. 

https://www.ksl.com/article/50467613/rsl-blanks-minnesota-3-0-in-front-of-14th-consecutive-sellout-crowd

What the hell?! 

14 consecutive sellouts? Are there that many bored people in Salt Lake to go watch a MLS game?

Must be. 

With the heat this summer I think too many have lost their damn minds. May the cooler fall weather get here quick to wake these poor people up. 

And who has the money to pay for tickets? Am I the only one that has had all my spending money gobbled up by $5.00 a gallon gas and grocery bills that have almost doubled this year?

Judast priest.

Dell Loy Hansen will sell MLS' Real Salt Lake, NWSL's Utah Royals FC

(usatoday.com 8-30-20)

 

Dell Loy Hansen, owner of Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer and the National Women's Soccer League's Utah Royals FC, will sell his professional soccer teams, MLS commissioner Don Garber said Sunday. 

 

"MLS will work with Mr. Hansen on supporting the sale efforts for the company and will work closely with the club’s executive staff to support the operations of the team during the transition period," Garber said in a statement. 

 

Hansen said during a radio interview Thursday RSL's decision to not play the previous night against Los Angeles FC, as pro sports teams across the country sought to bring attention to racial injustice, took "a lot of wind out of my sails, what effort I want to put into recruiting players and building a great team.

 

"It’s like somebody stabbed you and you’re trying to figure out a way to pull the knife out and move forward," Hansen said regarding the team's protest. "That’s what it feels like. The disrespect was profound to me personally."

 

Later Thursday, The Athletic published a report that Hansen has allegedly used racist language while dealing with players and personnel. MLS opened an investigation into the incidents. 

 

The MLS Players Association called the allegations concerning Hansen "sickening" and advocated for an immediate suspension. "If the allegations are substantiated," the group said, "he must be forced to sell the team." The NWSLPA issued a similar statement Thursday night as well. On Saturday, players across the league shared on social media statements from Black players of the NWSL, which said: "Dell Loy Hansen's (alleged) comments are disgraceful and we stand with the Utah Royals, Real Salt Lake and Real Monarchs players as they move to suspend and investigate Dell Loy." 

 

Hansen will be selling Utah Soccer Holdings, which includes RSL, the Royals and the United Soccer League's Monarchs. 

After entering the organization as a minority owner, Hansen acquired full ownership of RSL in January 2013. In November 2017, Hansen acquired the NWSL's FC Kansas City and moved the team to to Salt Lake City. The team competed as the Royals the next year. 

 

"I want to acknowledge Dell Loy Hansen’s significant efforts to build the sport of soccer in the state of Utah and for his commitment to Major League Soccer," Garber said in his statement.

 

Later Thursday, The Athletic published a report that Hansen has allegedly used racist language while dealing with players and personnel. MLS opened an investigation into the incidents. 

 

The MLS Players Association called the allegations concerning Hansen "sickening" and advocated for an immediate suspension. "If the allegations are substantiated," the group said, "he must be forced to sell the team." The NWSLPA issued a similar statement Thursday night as well. On Saturday, players across the league shared on social media statements from Black players of the NWSL, which said: "Dell Loy Hansen's (alleged) comments are disgraceful and we stand with the Utah Royals, Real Salt Lake and Real Monarchs players as they move to suspend and investigate Dell Loy." 

 

Hansen will be selling Utah Soccer Holdings, which includes RSL, the Royals and the United Soccer League's Monarchs. 

After entering the organization as a minority owner, Hansen acquired full ownership of RSL in January 2013. In November 2017, Hansen acquired the NWSL's FC Kansas City and moved the team to to Salt Lake City. The team competed as the Royals the next year. 

 

"I want to acknowledge Dell Loy Hansen’s significant efforts to build the sport of soccer in the state of Utah and for his commitment to Major League Soccer," Garber said in his statement.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mls/saltlake/2020/08/30/dell-loy-hansen-real-salt-lake-mls-owner/5674134002/

Garber approves

Hansen to sell Utah Soccer Holdings

I have nothing to do with this

https://yda.rsl.com/

RSL CUP TOURNAMENT

AUGUST 7 – 10, 2019

For boys and girls age U9 – U19

Participate in a highly competitive tournament against world-class teams.

College coaches and scouts will be in attendance. There is not better place to play and be recognized.

Dave Checketts' son posts video of parents opening assignment to serve as mission president and companion

(by Morgan Jones deseretnews.com 12-29-17)

Dave Checketts’ name is easily recognizable in several communities, including among Mormons and in the world of professional sports. The former president and general manager of the Utah Jazz, former president of the New York Knicks and original owner of Real Salt Lake is also a former LDS stake president, and now, Checketts has been called to serve as a mission president, according to a video published to his son’s Instagram account on Friday.

The video shows Dave Checketts and his wife, Deb, opening their assignment to serve as mission president and companion in the England London Mission.

The Deseret News has previously reported two stories about Checketts’ efforts to minister as a stake president. In a story about Tom Christofferson earlier this year, the Deseret News reported that Checketts was influential in Christofferson’s return to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together the two studied the scriptures and discussed gospel topics.

As Christofferson increased his church activity, Checketts invited him to his home periodically on Saturday mornings to study the scriptures and discuss gospel topics. Christofferson's genuine search for understanding the doctrine not only touched Checketts' heart, but inspired him as a church leader to incorporate some of the ideas they discovered into his vision for the stake, Checketts said.

Another example of Checketts’ service to members of his stake took place in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 when Checketts cleared his business calendar to serve two new members of his stake, Robbie and Alyssa Parker, whose daughter Emilie was among those killed. While Checketts said that when he first learned of the news he didn’t know what to say, he later said of the tragedy, "What happened in Newtown is unthinkable, but little children are alive in Christ. Though the nature of the crime is the essence of evil, our faith tells us that these children burst into the presence of God and are safe in his arms."

Checketts was also featured in Jeff Benedict’s 2007 book, “The Mormon Way of Doing Business,” and on Friday, Benedict expressed his confidence that missionaries serving under Checketts will be in good hands.

“Dave’s exceptional character has been tested and seasoned by the rough-and-tumble world of professional sports and entertainment,” Benedict told the Deseret News. “Missionaries under his care will learn from a leader whose first instinct is compassion and whose broad shoulders have cleared many paths for the underdog.”

In “The Mormon Way of Doing Business,” Checketts explained how he balanced 15- to 18-hour workdays, six days a week, with being a husband and father.

“If my children call me during the day and leave a message, I return those calls first, not last,” Checketts said in the book.

Checketts will now devote 24 hours a day, seven days a week to serving the Lord and his missionaries for three years.

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https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865694528/Dave-Checketts-son-posts-video-of-parents-opening-assignment-to-serve-as-mission-president-and.html

How Mike Petke tore down, then rebuilt Real Salt Lake in his intense image

(by Kevin Nielsen mlssoccer.com 10-14-17)

Inheriting a last-place team with myriad issues, Mike Petke tore down Real Salt Lake and built the team he wanted, layer by layer.

The team has made a late climb into the playoff hunt, but regardless of how the standings look at season’s end there’s new hope for the future in Utah. Petke’s done it with a couple new additions and some tactical shifts, but he says his first task was to get everyone to listen.

“I remember the very first practice I was here, very first, I made one tactical change, which is how our outside backs played,” Petke said. “We worked on it for that first day, second and third day leading into the first game, and I saw that aspect right away. That told me immediately, ‘OK, I have players that are willing to listen.’”

From there, he went about building a new foundation and constructing a revamped contender on top of it.

“It’s been a lot of hard work,” RSL captain Kyle Beckerman said. “It’s winning games. It’s finding an identity again. You start to get all those things. You build a foundation. Guys start to get familiar. You start playing together more. You start going into games expecting to win. When you’re on the road, you’re going to expect a result. You get that belief more in everything you do and that builds your foundation.”

Petke was skeptical of just where everyone was when it came to believing in themselves and the team at first. But now he’s confident in the team’s mentality.

“These guys believe and they know what they’re capable of. That’s one thing that I know I’m not questioning at all,” said the former New York Red Bulls boss.

With those answers, Petke went to work changing the team to look a bit more like him.

“The way things click is, we tell the players, we show the players, we work on with the players, how we want to play and what our expectations are,” Petke said.

Since April, RSL have changed into a team that likes to press defensively, transition quickly into the attack, involve the outside backs in the buildup and stay solid at the back, even when there are only four players back to defend.

“We were able to add layers. I’m not saying every layer we added was perfectly implemented, but my whole thing is I like to see the attempt at it,” Petke said. “It’s not always going to come off. If I want a player to do A and he does B, C and D, I’m not going to be happy about it, but if I tell him to do A and he tries to do it, I can never fault him if it doesn’t work out. Just as long as they’re listening.”

Each new layer was a work in progress from April through June, and a new layer didn’t always lead to better match results. A couple wins here and there were followed by lopsided defeats in the following weeks. That cycle continued until July.

(follow the link for full article)

------------------

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/10/14/how-mike-petke-tore-down-then-rebuilt-real-salt-lake-his-intense-image

Dreams are soaring for new Utah soccer academy

(by Peter Rosen ksl.com 9-7-17)

The campus is a construction site and the turf is still being grown 85 miles away, but RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen looks out over fields of dirt and sees a verdant soccer promised land.

“I have the absolute belief that we’ll be known as the best place in the United States to be a soccer player, to progress your career to its highest potential,” he said. Hansen is showing off the site of the new Zions Bank Real Academy — a charter high school and sports training facility intended to home-grow talent for the MLS team. This year, RSL moved the academy from Casa Grande, Arizona, to Herriman, Utah. When complete, there will be eight outdoor soccer fields, two indoor fields and one stadium where academy students will train alongside players from Real Salt Lake and RSL’s United Soccer League team, the Monarchs.

“I can bring in a player at a lower cost at a higher quality than going and searching the world and then having to pay for a player; we can grow a player,” Hansen said.

He said the talent search will begin early at training centers for boys ages 7-14 around the state and Arizona. The first, in North Logan, is already under construction. “We want to find the 30 best throughout Utah and Arizona in every age group,” he said. “We want to track them, and so if you’re good we want to know you’re good.” The best will be invited to the academy. “The training here is a lot better (than U.S. soccer clubs) you know, the coaches work with you individually and with the team a lot better,” said Erik Virgen, an academy midfielder from Tucson. “They’re more strict, you know. They want things like the right way, and it just makes you develop as a player and a person.” Virgen and his teammates live in an on-site dormitory and then train and go to school next door. The school, which teaches a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum, is open to the general public. About 50 slots are reserved for academy members. That school is an important recruiting tool: a draw for parents.

“My parents always tell me ‘Education, education;’ the only way I can play soccer is my education,” said academy player Sebastian Soto, who last year was the leading scorer in the country in his age group. “Yeah, soccer’s No. 1 for me, but for my parents, I have to have some education there, too.”

Academy director Martin Vasquez said Soto is already committed to Berkeley on a full scholarship. “That’s huge, you know, that’s big,” Vasquez said.  Virgen, now in his senior year, is hoping RSL will offer him a contract. If he doesn’t turn pro yet, he’s poised, with a commitment to the University of New Mexico, to become the first in his family to go to college.  “So I want to like make that first step for my family and be a good role model and example for, you know, my nephews, nieces, and I think they need to see somebody taking an education path,” Virgen said. The academy system is firmly established in Europe. It’s relatively new to the U.S.  Since RSL opened Casa Grande in 2010, though, it’s already graduated about a half-dozen players to the first team.

RSL midfielder Sebastian Saucedo grew up Park City and was a ball boy for the team.

“I would always go to Rice-Eccles Stadium with my father and he would always take me to all the home games, and it would be a dream come true for me to play for RSL,” he said. “When I got the opportunity to be scouted … took advantage of that and didn’t think twice about the opportunity to join the academy, left my family, which was the hardest part, but, you know, ended up paying off, and I’m super happy with where I’m at now.”  RSL coach Mike Petke sees the advantages of having the academy and both teams on the same campus.  “To have all three of those organizations within one organization together collaborating, working together, playing one style with the same philosophy throughout, it’s going to be invaluable for someone like myself that these players are coming up through the pipeline through the ranks to get to me,” he said. “They’re gonna know, by the time they get to me, exactly what is expected of them, exactly what their role is, and to me there’s nothing more valuable than that.”

RSL general manager Craig Waibel sees a revenue source for the business. When players go to the academy, they agree, if they turn pro, to play for RSL or any team that buys the player. Selling players has become the biggest source of income for many European clubs.

“At some point you’re gonna start seeing more young players in America that come through our academies being sold to clubs around the world for really good prices,” Waibel said.  “I believe I see this place is gonna be a soccer center in the U.S. for coaches’ education, for player development, for, you know, coaches symposiums for tournaments, some of the best tournaments in the country,” Vasquez said.  There is a catch. Girls can go to the charter school, but they can’t go to the academy. At least not yet, Hansen said.  “In two years — I’ll put a promise out there — we think we’ll have a women’s professional team here just like RSL,” he said. “We can start down that path. We decided let’s get the boys' program perfect and then let’s move into the women’s program.”

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https://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=45718304

Real Salt Lake fires Jeff Cassar, promotes GK coach to interim manager

(by Sean Walker ksl.com 3-20-17)

 

After three full seasons as head coach of Real Salt Lake, Jeff Cassar has been removed from his position within the organization just three games into the 2017 season.

 

The Major League Soccer club announced Monday afternoon it had dismissed the former RSL goalkeeper coach who helped the team to its 2009 MLS Cup title, among other accolades.  RSL goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore will serve the club as interim head coach, and the club has already begun the search for a new coach, general manager Craig Waibel told reporters during a conference call.  While RSL’s 0-2-1 start to the 2017 season certainly didn’t help Cassar’s case, Waibel wanted to make clear the timing of the team’s announcement was related to a “cumulative” series of events and benchmarks, though he didn’t go into specifics.  The club is in the midst of a 10-game winless streak that dates back to August of last season.

“We felt very strongly that the end of last year — the results over the course of three seasons — we felt two years in the playoffs deserved a chance,” Waibel said during a media conference call. “But the important thing to remember is we’ve been in since Jan. 20 and evaluating since day one. The three games played aren’t the only thing taken into consideration.

“Inside the building, in our continued observation since Jan. 20, the decision is based on the progress of the group and the team. Ultimately the final decision was made today.”

Cassar’s tenure at RSL closes with a record of 38-37-30 as a head coach, as well as a decade on the bench — helping RSL win the 2009 MLS Cup title as goalkeeper coach and former coach Jason Kreis’ right-hand man.

“Jeff is a consummate professional,” Waibel said. “He’s a gentleman, and it was a very upfront conversation. He and I have known each other very closely for the better part of three years, and he’s a gentleman. He’s one of my closest friends, and while it was a difficult conversation, it was very respectful both ways.”  Waibel said RSL has already reached out to candidates “within the organization,” though he did not name individuals specifically, and plans to reach out to at least two to three already identified targets in the next 24 hours. Any coaching candidate currently employed by another MLS club will be subject to league protocol.  “The sense of urgency to move forward is definitely something we are taking into consideration,” Waibel said. “We will work diligently over the next couple of weeks, and hopefully the process is shorter. We have no intention of dragging this out.”  While Waibel preferred not to specifically address qualities of the next full-time head coach, he mentioned the team will actively look for someone who shares RSL’s vision and relates to the team’s fans.  “We will look for someone with shared values and shared vision with where we’ve aligned ourselves as an organization and how we are building this roster,” Waibel said. “Not every coach sees every roster the same way, and so I won’t share all of the details. But it’s definitely going to be someone that aligns very quickly without vision.

“Most importantly, they need to identify with our fan base and what is important with our organization and our fan base.”

RSL’s other assistant coaches will remain on staff under the current interim administration.
But Cassar, whose first experience as an MLS head coach came when Jason Kreis left Salt Lake for New York City FC, was let go just three games into the 2017 season when RSL started 0-1-2 and was outscored 4-1 against Toronto FC, Chicago Fire and L.A. Galaxy.  “We want to thank Jeff for his many contributions to the success of Real Salt Lake over the past decade, including our championship run in 2009,” RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen said in a statement. “Jeff has always handled himself with class and dignity and represented the organization and community extremely well.  “We wish Jeff and his family much success in their future endeavors.”  Cassar becomes the fourth major player to leave the club since Hansen purchased RSL from previous owner Dave Checketts, joining Kreis (currently with Orlando City FC), former general manager Garth Lagerwey (currently with Seattle Sounders FC) and former club president Bill Manning (currently with Toronto FC). Such high-profile departures add to an extensive list of player departures, notably midfielder Javier Morales to FC Dallas this past offseason.  Cassar signed a three-year contract in the offseason, but the club held the right to options for the second and third seasons.

“Jeff deserves the 2017 year to continue our club’s competitive growth,” Hansen said at the time. “His body of work this year — despite the team’s late-season slide — and the overwhelming endorsement of him by numerous voices in our locker room confirm my belief that his continuity and our foundation set up Claret-and-Cobalt success in an extremely competitive Western Conference next season.”

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https://www.ksl.com/?sid=43571812&nid=857

Real Salt Lake announces plans to build $50 million training complex in Herriman

(by Xoel Cardenas ksl.com 4-9-16)

Real Salt Lake and Herriman Mayor Carmen Freeman unveiled plans to build a $50 million soccer training complex, the Major League Soccer club announced on Saturday.

“As an organization, we believe that building this gathering place from ground up, developing local talent, and training that talent to an elite level, will lead to stronger connection and ultimate success,” said RSL owner Dell Loy Hansen in a news release. “The goal has been to create a program for youth training and academy training that is equal to anything that you could find in Europe at the elite soccer academies: Ajax, Barcelona, England. So we've looked at them very closely.” RSL and the city of Herriman plan to break ground on the 42-acre plot later this month. The training complex will include eight fields, one for Herriman city public use, and a total of seven regulation-size soccer fields. Four of the fields will be natural grass and outdoor, with the remaining three fields utilizing artificial surface. Two of the artificial fields will be housed in a 208,000-square-foot structure, the largest pre-engineered free span building in North America.

The complex will house daily training activities for RSL and the Real Monarchs, as well as extensions of the club’s Arizona-based U-18 and U-16 USSFDA Academy setups, according to an RSL press release. Potential future additions include an RSL women’s professional team and other youth development age groups.

“This defines professionalization of soccer in America,” said Craig Waibel, Real Salt Lake general manager. “This is commitment from an owner to build an organization — not build a building, not build a field and call it an organization — this is commitment beyond what we’ve seen to this point. This is creating a definition for our organization that’s going to exist and identifying what defines us for years to come.” The facility will employ 50 full-time staff members and 20 part-time staff, according to RSL.

“Every city looks for an iconic landmark that will identify it regionally and internationally,” Freeman said. “From a job creation standpoint, the stimulation of economic growth, with great benefits for our residents, to have such a unique opportunity of an incredibly inclusive nature is enormous.”

“Herriman, I have to say, really went out of their way to invite us to be there,” said Hansen. “This complex will serve as the crown jewel of Herriman City, with our residents experiencing huge benefits on all fronts,” said Nicole Martin, a Herriman city councilor. “It is rare yet incredible that a successful entity such as RSL shares our city’s vision for creating a family-friendly, world-class destination, and now we become essentially a ‘soccer-topia’ to hone athletic and academic skills for decades to come.” RSL’s Herriman Training Complex will also sit adjacent to a 250-student STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) charter school developed by Utah State University, with 77,000 square feet of classrooms and a 90-acre campus.

“We have a passion for how our residents live, work and play, and this complex and the adjacent STEM school will provide amazing value for our residents,” said Herriman City Councilor Coralee Moser.

Hansen has also created the nonprofit “RSL Youth Academy Foundation,” which will create “regional training centers” across Utah and potentially Arizona. The first three locations are scheduled to be North Logan, Ogden and West Valley City, with Orem and St. George planned for later on. “Our collective passion about building this community is at the core of everything we do, with my job being to guide the group and lead us in how we connect to the community of nearly 10 million people across Utah and Arizona,” said Hansen. “I’m Salt Lake, I’m Utah, this is what I care about, and this is what the RSL values reflect, the club rooted civically in the community with everyone invited as a point of unification.” The facility is scheduled to open in July 2017.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=39261688&nid=857

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Here is a photo taken this summer showing the progress of the academy.

Opinion: Jeff Cassar's leadership not good enough for RSL

(by Andy Larsen ksl.com 10-16-15)

After seven straight years of making the playoffs, Real Salt Lake won't be participating in MLS's postseason this year. Adding insult to injury, RSL's likely failure (current models give them a 0.4 percent chance of squeaking out a playoff spot) comes in a year when MLS expanded the playoff structure, allowing 12 of the 20 teams to make the cutoff.

But RSL will be left out due to its own inadequacy, especially the curious decisions and leadership of head coach Jeff Cassar. Repeatedly, Cassar didn't chase after opportunities to get his team the points they needed. Instead, Cassar was overly satisfied with inept performances in critical situations.  That explicit approval of on-field failure meant that RSL had no drive to improve throughout the season. The team made the same critical mistakes in Wednesday night's critical match against Portland, the loss of which doomed RSL's season for good.

Overall, RSL has dropped 27 points at home, far too many for a team that considers itself a playoff contender. Here's a rundown of some critical home draws and losses, and Jeff Cassar's quote after each.

May 6, 0-0 home draw vs. Los Angeles Galaxy  Cassar: "To sum it up, it's improvement from last week. I thought that our possession was good tonight. I felt that we made good choices on the ball under difficult circumstances. Overall, really pleased with tonight. Obviously, the aim is to get three points at home, and I thought we pushed, but came up just a little bit short on the points, but not on the performance."


June 7, 0-0 home draw against Rapids — Nick Rimando saved a Colorado penalty in the 89th minute to preserve RSL's draw.  Cassar: "Without a doubt, it's a missed opportunity. That being said, I thought we had a good performance. I thought our offense clicked very well. We limited them to not too many opportunities.  We limited them, and created a lot of chances. If we get that one, I think things will open up, and we'll get more."


June 27, 2-2 home draw against Columbus — Jordan Allen's red card in the 77th minute prevented RSL from going for the win.  Cassar: "The guys showed a ton of character and fight today, and I was extremely proud of them. I thought we created enough chances to win this game and put it out of reach when it was 2-1, but we paid the price."


July 4, 1-1 home draw against Orlando — Orlando's Kaka picked up a red card in the first half, but RSL was unable to score in the second period.  Cassar: "We have to get three points at home. We didn't. But our attitude was right. The way we approached the game was right. I can't fault the guys' effort. We tried and we pushed. … Overall, I'm pleased with our guys' effort."


Aug. 15, 1-0 home loss to Portland — Former RSL man Nat Borchers scored a header in the 95th minute to win the game for Portland.  Cassar: "There was some beautiful soccer out there. I was really proud of watching our team play with that attacking style, that relentless style."


Oct. 14, 1-0 home loss to Portland — Jamison Olave's red card and penalty donated gave the Timbers the 1-0 win.  Cassar: "I'm not frustrated with the way we played. It was two teams that was battling extremely hard. Their goal came off of a long clearance. But I thought we moved the ball extremely well, we were missing the final ball again, but I'm not upset with the way our players played. Absolutely not." Cassar repeatedly commended his players' poor performances, and as a result, nothing changed.


RSL's head coach also stood by his new 4-3-3 formation throughout the season despite disappointing results, and occasionally, misfit personnel. RSL chose to switch to the 4-3-3 because the previous reliance on the 4-4-2 diamond caused problems in many matchups. But the similar tactical inflexibility RSL showed with the 4-3-3 created new problems that were far worse than the ones RSL faced a year ago.

That's not to say the problems are entirely Cassar's fault, of course they aren't. In many ways, RSL's roster wasn't good enough this season, and general manager Craig Waibel's squad showed its lack of depth in attack, midfield and defense. But RSL's performances when the squad was at or near full strength, including Wednesday's nail in the coffin, show that RSL's disappointment can't be blamed on injuries and callups alone.  This is nearly a carbon copy of the situation the Utah Jazz found themselves in two seasons ago.  Then, head coach Ty Corbin took over for franchise legend Jerry Sloan and lost in the first round of the playoffs in his first season. From then on, Corbin, too, made puzzling tactical and lineup choices, and seemed out of touch in public comments.  Cassar, just like Corbin, is a good man and a good assistant coach. But the role of head coach is too much for him, and it shows on nearly every level.  It's time for RSL to find a new, fresh, smart voice, one who keeps his players accountable through a rigid implementation of culture and process. RSL needs a leader who will only be satisfied when potential is met, not when the club falls drastically short.

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