Real Salt Lake officials will join legislators Monday after the final vote on SB64, titled Special Group License Plate Modifications. The legislation, expected to appear on the docket for final vote at approximately 2:30 p.m. MT on Monday, is sponsored by Sen. Luz Escamilla (D-Salt Lake) and in the House by Rep. Brad Wilson (R-Kaysville) and seeks to create a new specialty license plate with proceeds supporting RSL Foundation, the legislation intending to authorize a Real Salt Lake-branded plate.
A news conference featuring all the principals will be held at the Capitol on Monday at 3:30 p.m. MT.
WHAT: News Conference RE: SB64 (Special Group License Plate Modifications)
WHO: Sen. Luz Escamilla (D-Salt Lake)
Rep. Brad Wilson (R-Kaysville)
RSL Players / Coaches TBA
RSL Foundation Executive Director Mary Van Minde
RSL Mascot Leo the Lion
DATE / TIME: Monday, February 29, 2016, 3:30 p.m. MT
WHERE: Utah State Capitol
Capitol Board Room 240
ABOUT RSL FOUNDATION
The RSL Foundation has recently been established, created with the goals of being active in the community year-round, utilizing the popularity and reach of RSL and the Monarchs in promoting health and wellness to children throughout the region, engaging supporters of soccer to volunteer time for various local initiatives.
ABOUT REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake and Mexican champion Tigres UANL face off in the second leg of the SCCL Quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:00 PM (MST) in the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. Tigres won the first leg, 2-0, last Wednesday, with RSL needing a 2-0 win to force extra time or a 3-0 win to advance outright, with away goals serving as the tiebreaker in an aggregate draw scenario, after the series reaches 180 minutes.
Real Salt Lake embarks on its 12th Major League Soccer season in 2016, the Utah side seeking a return to the postseason after seeing its seven-year playoff streak - one which included the MLS Cup 2009 title, the state of Utah's only major professional championship in 40 years - snapped in 2015. However, the 2015 season did see RSL win its group in the CONCACAF Champions League, advancing to the knockout round for the second time, with the team also progressing deep into the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, losing on the road in the Semifinal stage to eventual champion Sporting KC.
Buoyed by a passionate base now approaching 15,000+ season ticket holders, RSL has enjoyed a prominent home-field advantage since building its permanent Rio Tinto Stadium home in Sandy, boasting an 89-20-29 mark in the building since its opening in October, 2008.
In 2015, the club expanded its development pyramid with the addition of Real Monarchs, one of several MLS-operated expansion clubs in the USL, the United States' Division III setup. Head Coach Freddy Juarez had enjoyed success developing homegrown players at the RSL-Arizona Academy in Casa Grande, Ariz., prior to moving to the professional ranks. RSL FW Emery Welshman marks the first Monarchs graduate to be signed to the first team in 2016. Meanwhile, no fewer than six Academy graduates occupy first-team roster spots: GK Lalo Fernandez, DF Justen Glad, DF Phanuel Kavita, MF Danilo Acosta, MF Fito Ovalle and MF Jordan Allen.
