On Saturday, the Salt Lake Tribune named its 25 most influential figures in Utah sports and Real Salt Lake had four people on the list.
Owner Dell Loy Hansen (No. 6), midfielder and captain Kyle Beckerman (No. 14), President Bill Manning (No. 15) and midfielder Javier Morales (No. 20) all made the list.
Here is what Kurt Kragthorpe had to say about RSL’s contingent in his column on the list.
Dell Loy Hansen
“With the recent departures of coach Jason Kreis and general manager Garth Lagerwey, Hansen now is perceived as a more powerful figure in the Major League Soccer franchise. His role may not be any greater than before, but coach Jeff Cassar and technical director Craig Waibel lack the aura of Kreis and Lagerwey. Hansen has brought the Real Monarchs minor-league team into the market and is working to build a new stadium for that team in West Valley City.”
Kyle Beckerman
“The 2015 Gold Cup was a disappointment for Beckerman and the U.S. men's national team and Real Salt Lake is having a mediocre season in Major League Soccer play. Yet with RSL in a state of transition as many former fixtures have moved to other clubs, Beckerman is firmly established as the face of the franchise. He will be critical to the team's hopes of qualifying for the MLS playoffs for an eighth straight season.”
Bill Manning
“Manning is highly regarded in the soccer business and has built RSL into a marketing success story. Even with three television-dictated Sunday home games testing the market this season, RSL attendance average of 20,122 remains above Rio Tinto Stadium's listed capacity. Manning was named the 2014 Executive of the Year in Major League Soccer, receiving the Doug Hamilton Award for the second time in three years.”
Javier Morales
“With all kinds of personnel issues affecting the team, Morales almost singlehandedly has kept RSL in the playoff chase in Major League Soccer. He has recorded five goals and nine assists in 17 league games. Morales also has been instrumental in RSL's early success in the U.S. Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League, giving the team additional opportunities to win a trophy this season. He joined RSL in August 2007.”
For the full list, click here.
