SALT LAKE CITY / SANDY, Utah (Thursday, February 23, 2023) – All Real Salt Lake English-language radio coverage for the 2023 season and beyond will be carried on various KSL Radio signals beginning with Saturday’s season-opening kickoff at Vancouver, RSL and Bonneville International announced today. The four-hour gameday window includes one-hour pre-game and one-hour post-game shows, with long-time voices David James and Jay Nolly calling the action each and every RSL matchday throughout 2023.
RSL’s 19th campaign KSL kicks off at 7:30p MT Saturday, with the KSL pre-game radio crew – a combination of veteran RSL voices Tom Hackett, Jake Hatch, Lauren Mason Beck and Spencer Warne – preparing fans for all that the 2023 season encompasses. From MLS regular-season matches, Open Cup contests, the historic inaugural edition the Leagues Cup this Summer and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, all games involving RSL will stream live on the KSL News and KSL Sports apps, with the front page of www.KSLSports.com directing fans to terrestrial coverage as well.
“Bonneville has long been proud to partner with Real Salt Lake – our streaming deal from early 2018 was innovative both locally and across the soccer and digital television industries,” said Tanya Vea, Executive Vice President, Content and Media Operations, as well as General Manager for KSL Sports. “Our two companies are and have been uniquely aligned, sharing deep roots in Utah and now expanding our focus to serve not just local audiences but RSL fans around the world with both gameday and ancillary content featuring David James, Jay Nolly, the RSL Show personalities and the entire KSL Sports ecosystem.”
For RSL home games from America First Field in Sandy, the David James / Jay Nolly game call will be available as an audio option through the Apple/MLS Season Pass subscription option, as well as live on terrestrial radio and streaming via the KSL NewsRadio and KSL Sports apps and websites. The duo will call all home, road, Open Cup, Leagues Cup and postseason games as well, either live in-stadium at America First Field or from the KSL Sports Zone studios in downtown Salt Lake City.
“Our radio presence on various Bonneville platforms for Real Salt Lake games is a tremendous opportunity to bring our Club to a greater audience of both current and potential fans across an incredible broadcast footprint,” said John Kimball, Real Salt Lake President. “The Bonneville radio group – especially KSL NewsRadio and the KSL Sports Zone – boast strong reach and omnipresent signals across the InterMountain West, and the addition of RSL radio carriage to our existing partnership with KSL’s digital side will only further enhance the overall experience for all RSL fans – existing and new, casual and hard-core.”
James – a perennial Utah Sportscaster of the Year nominee for his award-winning radio and television work – has called Real Salt Lake games on TV or via simulcast in 10 previous RSL seasons dating back to 2010, while Nolly – a former MLS goalkeeper with RSL, D.C. United and Vancouver – has served as RSL’s radio/TV color analyst and co-host of various pre-/half/post-game shows since 2015. Both David and Jay have established relationships within the League and throughout the Club and Utah’s sporting community.
“I am looking forward to a new opportunity this season calling RSL on radio, and am quite excited to see Heac Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s vision for the Club continue to evolve this season,” said James, the long-time Zone Sports Radio host from 7a-10a MT each morning. “I’m very happy to remain involved in bringing RSL soccer to the fans all over Utah and beyond, with the radio call requiring me to be more descriptive so that listeners can picture what is happening. This will certainly be a season worth following for the Claret-and-Cobalt.”
Both James and Nolly – as well as numerous KSL Sports personalities on both KSL Sports Zone radio and digital properties – will deliver featured RSL content involving Mastroeni, Captain Damir Kreilach and the entire locker room, front office, executive staff and fan base for 2023 and beyond, in live radio, podcast and digital forms.
“I’m extremely excited to remain a part of the club and make the transition to KSL Radio,” said Nolly, now in his eighth season calling RSL games for various broadcast mediums. “RSL was the team that drafted me, this club is very close to my heart; it’s home for my family and I am honored to stay close to the Club. I couldn’t be more excited for the season to kick off, especially in Vancouver, my second home. Every year I’ve been lucky to spend some time filling in on TV with David James – he is a gracious Play-by-Play partner – and I know we are going to have fun with the fans this year. RSL is a playoff contender, the team has been methodical with its additions, the growth of the core, and getting Damir back from injury will be critical to our attack.”
EN ESPAÑOL: Spanish-language radio consumers can once again find RSL action on “La Gran D” 102.3 FM with long-time voice Nelson Moran bringing the action home. Moran was an RSL original dating back to 2005, serving our community as a critical soccer and community ambassador. Alpha Media, owners of La Gran D and a cluster of influential Spanish-language radio outlets, returned to service as the home of RSL in 2020, following a two-year hiatus.
Real Salt Lake players and coaches regularly appear with Moran and his colleagues each week, providing the State’s Spanish-language community access to “fútbol” commentary, perspective and “polémico” regarding RSL, MLS, CONCACAF, LigaMX, UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup and much, much more.
"We are honored to continue our media partnership with Real Salt Lake and proud to air the games across our radio and digital platforms on KBMG Latino 106.3 FM, Juan 1600 AM, and streaming live on KDUT La Gran D 102.3 FM," said Mary Lee K. Robinson, VP/Market Manager. "Our broadcast team featuring Nelson is unparalleled, as they are extremely passionate and well-versed in bringing the RSL games live to the Hispanic community. We are so excited to continue to support this new era of the Club, and are proud of our long-standing relationships with all of RSL."
