SANDY, Utah (Friday, February 25, 2022) – Real Salt Lake’s commitment to providing its fans across the State of Utah access to the Club’s matches via free, over-the-air and omnipresent television, streaming and radio partners continues in 2022, with the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 18th campaign kicking off Sunday at Houston. RSL is the ONLY one of 28 MLS clubs to provide EVERY match to its fans via each medium at no cost, free of charge.
“During each and every one of my years both inside and outside this Club, knowing that every Real Salt Lake match was available in 100% of homes across the Utah DMA for absolutely no cost to the consumer has been absolutely paramount,” said RSL President John Kimball, a longtime Utah media and sports industry executive. “Our partnerships with KUTV/KMYU, ESPN700, KSL Sports and Alpha Media allow us to super-serve our fans, execute for our partners and provide amazing, insider access and storytelling for our fans. I’m elated that these avenues continue for what is sure to be an incredible 2022 soccer season on the Wasatch Front.”
Sunday’s 5:00 p.m. MT kickoff is featured for the eighth consecutive year on KMYU (over-the-air channel 2.2; cable 22/643 [HD] / satellite 643) as part of a three-hour broadcast window with play-by-play commentator David James, one of Utah’s most prominent sports media personalities. The two-hour game window is shouldered by 30-minute pre- and post-game shows, providing comprehensive analysis, local, national and international storylines, with highlights, interviews and examination of everything under Utah’s soccer umbrella.
“Sunday in Houston is just chapter one out of 34 to come this year, which will surely be exciting with the roster changes and the inevitable roller-coaster ride that is every team’s season,” said the ever-poetic James, routinely singled out by various local and national entities as Utah’s top sports personality. “I’m looking forward to calling the games each weekend with ‘Dunny’ and then trying to figure out what the next plot twist is for our shows each Thursday, fantastically-produced by Matt Komma.”
James and RSL color analyst Brian Dunseth – the former player referenced above as ‘Dunny,’ current ambassador and author of the Club’s first-ever home goal back in April 2005 – call each MLS match, while also bringing a weekly, 30-minute show each and every Thursday night on KUTV / KMYU known as “Talkin’ Real.” For an incredible 10th consecutive year, RSL fans have a weekly 30-minute show to call their own.
For fans wishing to follow RSL digitally, the KMYU broadcast is streamed live via the KSL Sports and KSL TV apps for both Android and iOS users, as well as KSLsports.com for desktop/laptop users. Initially brought to market in 2018, the “@RSLonKSL” streaming option returns for the fifth consecutive season (MLS regulations dictate that streams remain geofenced inside Utah).
“We are proud to have partnered with RSL to pioneer the digital streaming option, allowing fans to take the game with them wherever they are,” said Tanya Vea, Executive Vice President of Bonneville International, KSL’s parent company. “KSL Sports can’t wait to kick off our fifth season with the team.”
On the English radio side, 50,000-watt blowtorch ESPN700 brings every Real Salt Lake match into homes, cars, smartphones and more for the 18th consecutive season. Play-by-play host Bill Riley and former RSL/MLS goalkeeper Jay Nolly call the game portion of each four-hour window, with Spencer Warne and Lauren Beck hosting each one-hour pre- and post-game show on Utah’s #1 sports talk station.
“I am thrilled to be back in the booth for my 18th season as the ‘voice’ of RSL,” said Riley, also the University of Utah Utes football, basketball and baseball play-by-play announcer. “I am looking forward to bringing fans of the Claret-and-Cobalt all the action this season, in both MLS, U.S. Open Cup and perhaps exhibition games, too. Working side-by-side with Jay Nolly makes the job all the more enjoyable.”
Riley’s daily 11a-2p MT show will often feature Real Salt Lake personalities each week, including a regular Tuesday afternoon 1:30p MT appointment with RSL Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni. ESPN700’s afternoon drive show with host Spencer Checketts also features weekly Friday afternoon hits with the RSL boss, while General Manager Elliot Fall appears with Checketts each Wednesday afternoon. Other RSL / MLS players, personalities and executives are regularly available on the Club’s flagship station.
Spanish-language radio consumers can once again find RSL action on “La Gran D” 102.3 FM with 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 three-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 Moran 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 support this new era of the Club, and are proud of our long-standing relationships with the management team."
ABOUT RSL’S UPCOMING GAMES:
RSL is unbeaten in its last 12 season opening matches, posting a 6-0-6 (Win-Loss-Draw) record since 2010, the second-best mark in MLS over that period (FC Dallas, 7-0-5, also last lost a season opener in 2009. RSL enters the 2022 season with a 6-5-6 (W-L-D) record all-time in each year’s AWAY debuts dating back to its inaugural 2005 season. Against Houston, RSL is 12-12-9 all-time, but only 3-10-3 in the Bayou City. RSL’s last visit to Houston resulted in a scoreless draw on July 31, 2021, one of three road clean sheets a season ago.
Looking ahead to March 5, RSL enters the home portion of its 18th MLS campaign with a 7-1-9 (Win-Loss-Draw) record all-time in home-opening matches dating back to its inaugural 2005 season, with a 6-1-6 (W-L-D) all-time mark in those held at Rio Tinto Stadium. The 2021 season saw RSL earn an emphatic 3-1 win in its home opener over Sporting Kansas City, riding a brace from FW Rubio Rubin and a third goal from eventual RSL 2021 Golden Boot winner Damir Kreilach to vanquish one of its key rivals.
All-time in MLS regular-season play against Seattle, Real Salt Lake is 10-1-3 on Utah soil, unbeaten at home against the Sounders since May 28, 2011, a 2-1 road result for the “Rave Green.” During the decade since, RSL has posted a dominant 10-0-1 record at home against Seattle, including a 1-0 victory last September courtesy another game-winner from 2021 Team MVP Kreilach.
Real Salt Lake – which won MLS Cup in 2009, before losing in the final in 2013 – has advanced to the postseason 11 times in 14 seasons, and three occasions in the last four years (2020 outlier). The Claret-and-Cobalt join Sporting KC as ONLY two of 26 possible MLS clubs to have advanced at least one round in the MLS Cup Playoffs in three of the last four years, something so-called “powerhouses” have failed to accomplish.
