SANDY, Utah (Tuesday, January 31, 2017) – In conjunction with USL Soccer, today Real Monarchs announced its 2017 regular-season schedule, unveiling the club’s 32-game league slate for its 3rd USL season, and the club’s first under new Head Coach Mike Petke.
The 16-game home calendar features at least two home games each month from April to October at Rio Tinto Stadium, with 12 games on Friday or Saturday nights in Sandy, two on Monday evenings and one each on Wednesday/Thursday. The Monarchs will host a match on or around two holidays, with a July 5 “Independence Day” celebration as well as a Sept. 2 contest during Labor Day Weekend.
As previously announced, Real Monarchs open the league season at home on Saturday, April 1 against budding rival Phoenix at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Visit www.RSL.com/Monarchs or call 844.Real.Tix to access seats, starting at just $7 and up, depending on location, in the heavily-anticipated 2017 debut.
The 2017 Western Conference schedule – which now includes expansion side Reno 1868 and newly-branded Phoenix and Orange County teams – kicks off on Saturday, March 25 and concludes on Sunday, October 15, with the USL Cup Playoffs on the docket the following weekend after 30 weeks and 480 games comprise the 30-team slate.
Real Monarchs kick off 2017 with three of its first five contests on the road, prior to a very balanced schedule the rest of the way for Petke’s side, which sees a busy six-game August with only two home games, prior to ending the campaign with back-to-back Rio Tinto Stadium dates during the playoff chase.
The Monarchs return eight players from last year’s campaign – including midseason additions Charlie Adams, Jesus Leal and staunch contributors Max Lachowecki and Emilio Orozco – with last year’s club vying for its first-ever postseason berth through the season’s final weekend. The roster is still coming together prior to the club’s February 11 report date, but new additions for 2017 include former RSL playmaker and fan-favorite Sebastian Velazquez, MLS veterans Nick Besler and Chandler Hoffman, as well as USL standouts Daniel Haber and Chase Minter.
The complete 2017 Real Monarchs USL schedule follows:
All times MT / subject to change
*Please visit www.RSL.com/Monarchs for up-to-date game/broadcast and other information
Season Tickets for both Real Monarchs and Real Salt Lake's 2017 campaigns at Rio Tinto Stadium will be on sale February 6th; please visit www.RSL.com/tickets/royalty or call 844.Real.Tix for more information, including “Crown Club” discounts for those who pledge loyalty to both Claret-and-Cobalt professional sides.
The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Mon.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Tickets. Current or interested RSL Royalty Season Ticket Members can purchase extra tickets at preferred pricing or gain assistance via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.
Coming in late Summer, 2017, the Real Monarchs / RSL training center opens in Herriman, Utah, approximately 20 minutes southwest 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 this Fall, with STEM disciplines (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) for nearly 300 boys and girls.
In mid-November 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.
ABOUT THE USL
The USL is the world's largest Division II professional soccer league, with 30 markets in 20 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces for the 2017 season. In total, the USL reaches a population of 75 million people, fueling the growth of professional soccer across North America.
In 2016, more than $100 million were invested league-wide into stadium infrastructure to create venues that deliver an unforgettable fan and competitor experience. The USL has national media partnerships with ESPN and SiriusXM, and recently invested $10 million to create USL Productions - which includes a state-of-the-art facility that will produce and distribute nearly 500 league matches and more than 1,000 hours of original content to national partners, local affiliates, USL's Match Center and international markets.
A growing league, the USL has more than doubled in size since 2014, with Ottawa Fury FC, Reno 1868 FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies scheduled to debut in 2017. Nashville SC is the first club set to join the league for 2018. Beyond league play, the USL regularly features international exhibitions against leading Premier League, Liga MX, and Bundesliga clubs, among others.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., the USL provides unparalleled club support with a growing team of 50 professionals across 17 departments, ranging from operations to marketing, communications and sponsorship. Follow the USL at USLSoccer.com.
www.RSL.com
