RSL TO OPEN
2011 SEASON MARCH 19 AT SAN JOSE, HOST LA GALAXY WEEK LATER AT RIO TINTO
STADIUM
MLS Openers Preceded by Home-and-Away CONCACAF
Champions League Quarterfinal Series vs. Columbus Crew;
Tickets for March 1 Leg Two Fixture vs. Crew and March
26 MLS Home Opener against Galaxy on Sale NOW via RSL Holiday Ticket Packs
SANDY,
Utah (Monday, December 20, 2010) – The first month of Real Salt Lake’s
upcoming 2011 campaign is now set, as Major League Soccer today
announced the home openers for the League’s 16th season. All 18
clubs will take the field during the opening “First Kick” week as they
embark on a 34-game, balanced regular season in which every club will
face each other twice – once at home, once on the road.
Real Salt Lake will
open its campaign in the Bay Area against the San Jose Earthquakes for
the second straight year, with the MLS First Kick fixture set for Saturday,
March 19 at 8:30 p.m. MT at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The
Utah side will be looking to repeat last year’s opening performance, when MF
Javier Morales’ pair of world-class finishes sandwiched a FW Fabian Espíndola
goal, propelling RSL to a 3-0 win over the eventual Eastern Conference
Championship participant. The win marked the first for the Utah side to begin a
season, moving its record in campaign openers to 1-2-3.
A week later on Saturday,
March 26, Real Salt Lake will open its MLS home slate with a marquee
match-up against its 2009 MLS Cup combatant, the LA Galaxy. The top two
point earners in last year’s chase for the Supporters Shield regular season
crown will square off in a 7:00 p.m. MT kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium,
where RSL will look to carry on its MLS-record 25-match home undefeated streak
in regular season play. Real Salt Lake and the Galaxy provided two memorable
follow-ups to its riveting MLS Cup 2009 showdown last season, including a 1-0
home win for the then-defending champs at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 9 that ended
LA’s 12-match undefeated run to start the season.
Visit
MLSsoccer.com to view the full
listing of MLS First Kick 2011 dates and the home openers for all 18 Major
League Soccer sides. The entire 2011 MLS regular season will be released by
early February. Although MLS will schedule games on FIFA friendly dates, no
games will be scheduled on FIFA World Cup Qualifying dates.
While the March 19
date at San Jose will mark the earliest start to a regular season in RSL’s
seven years of play, the squad will be well underway before then thanks to its
participation in the CONCACAF Champions League’s Quarterfinal Round
against one of its MLS brethren, the Columbus Crew. After claiming Group
A’s top spot in last fall’s Group Stage of the regional club championship, Real
Salt Lake will start the home-and-away series on February 22 at Crew Stadium
(6:00 p.m. MT kickoff, LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel) before hosting the return
leg a week later on Tuesday, March 1, at Rio Tinto Stadium, with kickoff
slated for 8:00 p.m. MT. Should RSL advance into the Semifinal Round,
the opening leg of its “Final Four” match-up against either C.D. Saprissa
(Costa Rica) or C.D. Olimpia (Honduras) would be hosted at Rio Tinto Stadium,
likely on Tuesday, March 15.
Tickets
for March Matches vs. Crew & Galaxy on Sale NOW via RSL Holiday Ticket
Packs
Fans can secure their
seats for both the March 1 CCL Quarterfinal fixture against the Crew and the
March 26 MLS home opener against the Galaxy now via the “RSL Holiday
2-Pack.” The limited-edition 2-Pack offer – available only through next
Friday, December 31 – includes two tickets for both March contests
and a new edition of the RSL beanie hat, with the deal available for as
little as $80 for Sideline seat packages.
Another gift option
for the futbol fanatico in your life this holiday season is the “RSL 2011
Flex 10-Pack,” featuring 10 vouchers redeemable for any matches included
in the team’s 20-Game Season Ticket package (17 regular season, CCL contest
v. Columbus, MLS Cup Playoff opener, and one bonus game TBD). Flex 10-Packs
offer up to a 33% savings off day-of-game prices and begin at $200
for Sideline seat packages, and include two of the new RSL beanie hats if
purchased by December 31.
Both of these special
ticket offers, in addition to RSL 2011 Season Ticket Packages, can be purchased
online at RealSaltLake.com,
over the phone at 801-727-2700, or in person at the team’s offices at Rio
Tinto Stadium weekdays during regular business hours: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
MT (please note the RSL offices will be closed from Dec. 22-26 and Dec. 31-Jan.
2).
“RSL
Holiday 2-Pack” (Offer good through December 31)
One (1) voucher good for:
·Two
(2) tickets for the March 1 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Match vs.
Columbus Crew
·Two
(2) tickets to the 2011 MLS Home Opener March 26 v. LA Galaxy
·One
(1) RSL beanie hat with championship star logo
Pricing:
·Sideline
Seat 2-Pack: $80
·Midfield
Seat 2-Pack: $120
·Stadium
Seat 2-Pack: $160
·Club
Seat 2-Pack: $360
"RSL 2011 Flex 10-Pack”
Voucher Book with Ten (10) vouchers
good for one (1) ticket each for any of the RSL matches in the 20-game Season
Pack, which includes:
·March
1 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Match v. Columbus
·17
MLS Regular Season matches
·Opening
match in 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs
·1
“Bonus Game” (either a CCL Semifinal match or Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match)
Vouchers must be redeemed for an actual game
ticket at the Rio Tinto Stadium Box Office windows.
All 2011 Flex 10-Packs purchased before
December 31 also include a bonus gift of two (2) RSL championship star logo
beanies!
Pricing (save up to 20%-33% off day-of-game
prices):
·Sideline
Seat 10-Voucher Pack: $200
·Midfield
Seat 10-Voucher: $300
·Stadium
Seat 10-Voucher Pack: $400
·Club
Seat 10-Voucher Pack: $900
www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.ESPN700Sports.com
