SANDY, Utah (Friday, December 2, 2016) – Real Salt Lake and the Utah Youth Soccer Association jointly announced plans for the Major League Soccer club’s involvement in the Utah/Southern Nevada “President’s Cup” tournaments for at least the next three years, as the 2017, 2018 and 2019 showcases are poised to welcome more than 6,000 participants across 425+ teams in January/February of each year.
“Each year over 6000 youth soccer players from within UYSA converge on Southern Utah/Nevada to play in the tournament with hopes of advancing on to the Regional President’s Cup,” said Utah Youth Soccer Association CEO Andrew Hiatt. “Many of these players have grown up on the tradition and success that Real Salt Lake has represented since its conception. Having RSL as a sponsor of this tournament is sure to excite and motivate these players even more.”
Utah teams have won four U.S. Youth Soccer National President’s Cups in the last 5 years. The championship teams in each of the U13-U17 divisions in the annual UYSA President’s Cup qualify for the U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV President’s Cup, held in June of each year, with hopes of advancing to the USYS National President’s Cup each July.
“As always, Real Salt Lake is thrilled to continue its partnership with Utah Youth Soccer Association,” said RSL GM Craig Waibel. “With our club’s ongoing commitment to the grassroots aspects of the sport across our state and region, and Mr. Hansen’s groundbreaking vision for both the Herriman Academy and the Regional Training Centers across Utah and Arizona, our ability to join the UYSA in promoting the President’s Cup each of the next three years is certain to increase the growth and quality of this tournament, as well as youth soccer in the state of Utah.”
Interested teams are encouraged to visit the tournament’s official website for more details and information: http://www.utahyouthsoccer.net/presidents_cup/.
The 2017 Major League Soccer season kicks off in early March, with the entire schedule released in early January, as expansion clubs from Minnesota and Atlanta join MLS' 22nd season as the 21st and 22nd teams. MLS Cup 2016 will be played on Saturday, Dec. 10 (6:00 p.m. MT, FOX / UniMas), with protected lists for the expansion draft and a half-day trade window taking place on Dec. 11 prior to the Atlanta / Minnesota expansion draft on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 12 noon MT.
The 2017 USL season kicks off in April. Season Tickets for the Real Monarchs third season in 2017 are now on sale; please call 844.Real.Tix for more information. Coming in late Summer, 2017, Real Salt Lake's regional training center opens in Herriman, Utah, approximately 20 minutes southeast of Rio Tinto Stadium.
The $50 million facility will serve as the daily training home beginning in 2018 for both of the club's professional teams – RSL (MLS) and Real Monarchs (USL) – while centralizing the club's U-18, U-16 and future U-14 development academy youth selections. The Herriman facility will provide adjacencies for an on-site charter school opening in Fall, 2018, with STEM disciplines (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) for nearly 300 boys and girls.
Three Mondays ago in North Logan, Utah, RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen broke ground on the first of a half-dozen regional training centers across Utah and Arizona to be built in the next 2-3 years. Each $5 million RTC houses a classroom, as well as an indoor and outdoor field, dedicated to fulfilling a curriculum dedicated to the club's vision and mission for youth soccer training and education, and the continued development of both recreational and competitive pre-Academy (ages 7-12) initiatives across Utah and Arizona.
Season Tickets for Real Salt Lake's 2017 campaign at Rio Tinto Stadium are now on sale; please visit www.RSL.com/tickets/royalty or call 844.Real.Tix for more information. An overwhelming percentage of current Season Ticket Members have renewed prior to the early deadline, with several hundred STMs looking to upgrade locations and add seats for RSL's 13th year.
