SALT LAKE CITY / SANDY, Utah (Friday, April 1, 2016) – Each of Real Monarchs SLC’s remaining 10 Rio Tinto Stadium regular-season matches will air locally in Utah on KMYU (2.2 over air / 12 satellite / 22/643 Comcast HD), Monarchs/RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen and KUTV / KMYU General Manager Kent Crawford announced today, in an expansion of the entities’ partnership. Starting on Saturday, April 2, three of the USL club’s remaining 10 Rio Tinto Stadium home games will air live, seven on delay.
This weekend, on Saturday, April 2, KMYU will air both clubs’ games – Real Salt Lake at Sporting Kansas City (coverage kicks off from Children’s Mercy Park at 6p MT) and Monarchs v LA Galaxy II (9p MT delay from Rio Tinto Stadium) – back-to-back, composing a five-hour window of local soccer on KMYU, which has enjoyed excellent ratings and response to its first year-plus of RSL broadcasts in 2015/16, as well as the dozen Monarchs games televised last year during the USL side’s expansion campaign. This week’s five-hour RSL/Monarchs block on KMYU is the first of two such occurrences throughout the 2016 season (April 2 and April 23).
“As mentioned last January, we are elated at the alignment of both our teams, our brand, our sport with KMYU and KUTV,” said RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen, referring to the 2015 announcement of a multi-year carriage and production agreement for RSL and KMYU/KUTV/Sinclair Broadcast Group/American Sports Network. “The symbiotic relationship and the manner in which we work cooperatively has certainly delivered not just for both properties, but for sports and soccer fans across the InterMountain West.”
On top of the 10 remaining Real Monarchs SLC home games in USL competition being added to the KMYU slate, the local independent channel has also chosen to locally simulcast in English language a trio of Real Salt Lake’s nationally-televised “Viernes de Futbol” matches; July 1 Independence Day Weekend home match against D.C. United; the Pioneer Day Celebration on July 22 against San Jose Earthquakes; and the August 26 Rocky Mountain Cup finale against the Colorado Rapids, games televised nationally on the Univision family of networks but in need of more extensive local Utah distribution.
“We have always recognized the value of RSL’s passionate fan base, and seeing that translate to viewership for KMYU over the last year has been exciting for the partnership,” said Kent Crawford, General Manager of KMYU MY UTAH TV / KUTV 2 NEWS. “RSL and the Monarchs are incredible community assets to the state of Utah, and having both MLS and USL teams extend the very strong “Real” brand provides entertaining content, along with giving our viewers a glimpse of the club’s up-and-coming talent pipeline.”
In the club’s 2015/16 arrangements with Sinclair Broadcast Group, parent company of KMYU/KUTV in Utah, a total of 82 RSL and Monarchs games will appear on the channel; every one of the 60 RSL contests feature a 30-minute pre-game show as well as a 30-minute post-game wrap-up. In addition to the three-hour RSL game window, KMYU’s Thursday Night “Talkin’ Sports” with David James and Brian Dunseth focuses on all things Claret-and-Cobalt. The additional 22 Monarchs games increase the total dedication by KMYU to nearly 250 hours of local soccer content to the entire Utah DMA throughout the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
All 32 of Real Salt Lake’s local TV games produced by ASN currently appear live on Sinclair-owned affiliates in surrounding areas, including; KYUU Boise, ID; KVMY Las Vegas, NV; and KAME Reno, NV. Distribution opportunities are currently pending in Albuquerque, Tucson and Phoenix, proximate to the club’s revered youth academy in Casa Grande, Ariz.
WHEN / WHERE TO WATCH REAL MONARCHS SLC on KMYU (2016)
(2.2 AIR / 12 SATELLITE / 643 COMCAST)
DAY / DATE MATCHUP KICKOFF TV WINDOW
SAT, APRIL 2 MONARCHS v LA Galaxy II 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 9p
SAT, APRIL 23 MONARCHS v Rio Grande Valley 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 11p
TUES, APRIL 26 MONARCHS v Seattle Sounders 2 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 11p
SAT, JULY 2 MONARCHS v Vancouver Whitecaps 2 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 8p
MON, AUGUST 8 MONARCHS v Colo. Springs 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 11p
SAT, AUGUST 13 MONARCHS v Swope Park Rangers 7:00 p.m. MT LIVE
WED, AUGUST 17 MONARCHS v Portland Timbers 2 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 11p
SAT, SEPT. 3 MONARCHS v Tulsa Roughnecks 7:00 p.m. MT LIVE
FRI, SEPT. 9 MONARCHS v Orange County Blues 7:00 p.m. MT LIVE
WED, SEPT. 14 MONARCHS v San Antonio FC 7:00 p.m. MT DELAYED 11p
* part of five-hour Monarchs/RSL programming block
ABOUT KUTV / KMYU: KUTV is the #1 station in Salt Lake City with more viewers than any other station in Utah. Additionally, Talkin’ Sports is the most-watched local sports show. KMYU is the sister station to KUTV. KMYU is the My Network TV affiliate for Utah and the home of Real Salt Lake. KMYU is also home to Friday Night Rivals High School Football and the American Sports Network, showcasing live collegiate sports from local and regional universities. KMYU is a full-market HD station found on 2.2 over-the-air, 12 on Dish and DirecTV, 22/643 (HD) on COMCAST and 20 on Baja Cable (St. George).
2016 MONARCHS TICKETS: The general public sale for 2016 Monarchs season tickets is ongoing. In addition, Real Salt Lake season ticket members can join the Crown Club (www.RSL.com/Tickets/Crown-Club) by adding Real Monarchs season tickets for as low as $66, including exclusive Crown Club benefits. The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Tues.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Monarchs/Schedule or via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.
2016 REAL SALT LAKE TICKETS: All 2016 packages, which start at just $260 for lower bowl seating, allow extraordinary access to RSL at Rio Tinto Stadium. Pro-rated 18-game packages include every remaining RSL regular-season game and additional events, which historically have included MLS Cup Playoffs matches, International Exhibitions, CONCACAF Champions League participation and/or Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup contests.
“Build Your Own” five- or 10-game packages – the best way outside of becoming one of RSL’s 15,000+ season-ticket holders to see Nat Borchers and Portland Timbers on June 18, Alvaro Saborio & Fabian Espindola and D.C. United on July 1 and Steven Gerrard, Giovanni Dos Santos & Robbie Keane and the LA Galaxy on Sept. 7 – are also available as a means of securing a place on the 2017 RSL season ticket waiting list. The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Tues.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Tickets or via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.
For more information about the venue’s numerous premium seating options – 100 Lions Club, suites, club seating, field-level or ledge boxes, the “200 Club” and the 2017 “Midfield Club” – please call (801) 727-2700. 2016 season tickets can also be ordered the RSL website: www.RSL.com/tickets.
